North America’s Littlest Falcon

Whenever I see a little bird on a telephone pole, I usually assume that it's a sparrow or blackbird. And most of the time it turns out to be a Kestrel! They are so small that they always fool me!

 They are the most colorful of raptors and I love all of their interesting markings!

We spotted this female on Road Z between Llano Seco and the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

 Here's another one, a male, perched on the wire further down the road...