My 'local patch' is an area of reclaimed colliery land which has been developed into a country park. The habitat includes a river, woodland, farmland, two man-made lakes, hillside and cliffs.

My interest in birds and other wildlife as a boy had waned when I 'grew up' but was refuelled when I visited a nearby falconry center. Seeing the various birds of prey there reminded me why I had been so fascinated with birds. Shortly afterwards, I visited a local country park on a warm summer evening to re-aquaint myself with the wildlife of the area.

A walk to the top of a hill gave a commanding view over the valley below. As I watched a Grey Heron float lazily up from one the lakes a comparitively tiny Kestrel suddenly shot up from a small woodland lower down the hillside and headed for the heron, shrieking like a banshee, in an attempt to drive it away. The Kestrel obviously saw the Heron as a threat to the contents of it's nest which must be in the woods below. I made a mental note of the place where the Kestrel had come from and resolve to return on the weekend to look for the nest.

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