The Lesser Kestrels of Matera #9

There are Lesser Kestrels before breakfast, Lesser Kestrels on the way to breakfast, a break from Lesser Kestrels for breakfast and then Lesser Kestrels after breakfast. In Matera, there are Lesser Kestrels everywhere.

Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

We really don’t want to leave Matera, so when the hotel say we can leave our bags and stay on the terrace of our room after checking out, we take them up on the idea.

This male on the wall of the terrace is a stunner:

Lesser Kestrel - Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The view is almost as good:

Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I love the dinosaur-scale legs and white talons:

Lesser Kestrel - Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

He preens beautifully. I manage to catch a few moments of slow-motion footage of him:

Here he is with his head buried in his feathers.

Lesser Kestrel - Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Another male flies in with a fresh kill; there’s a vole in his talons:

Lesser Kestrel - Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

He’s an impressive killer, calling for his mate.

Lesser Kestrel - Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

He flies onto the weather vane and there’s a moment of pure comedy gold with a cockerel:

Lesser Kestrel - Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

That was definitely worth the late check-out.

More Lesser Kestrels in Matera

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