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The lush British countryside flashes past in a blur of emerald and sage, contrasting against the black tarmac road, stretched out in front of us. I'm sat in the back of my parents car, having insisted I needed to be on the passenger side, staring out of the window, watching the verge and the space just above where the powder blue sky hangs still over the rolling hills of the South Downs. Anticipation building, eyes scanning, hoping beyond hope to add another vertical\u00a0line to my tally, that's clutched in my hand. We have only travelled 9 miles but already, 3 strong marks adorn the paper, acknowledgment of a being that although common and widespread, still captivates and inspires the 8 years old me. My eyes never wavered from their task, the family chatter, a drone in the background, a thronging undertone to the real mission at hand.\u00a0<\/p>
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Then, ahead, a small shape, suspended somewhere between sky and ground, not quite flying, but well beyond the terrestrial world we inhabit, master of the sky and wind! Wings outstretched and fluttering, long tail spread wide, constantly adjusting to remain seemingly motionless in its environment. I am entirely caught up in her design! Her head,\u00a0parallel\u00a0to the ground, body moving around it as though its beak was the point from which its whole being was centred, gyroscopically stabilised, its fierce eyes fixed on the verge below for any movement that could signal dinner. Her tetrachromatic vision picks up the UV reflection of rodent urine trails in the rank grass below. To them she is born in hell, winged fury that eliminates life, the existential threat that governs their very survival, to me she is heaven sent, predatory perfection, an aeronautical wonder of evolution and the fourth of her kind in just 11 miles. This is 1994 and at this point, she, as a Common Kestrel is the most common raptor in britain!<\/p>
![\"dh5qx3mlegsjj1wz0rwzkmbsmirajtxkfssztckqxrwalkd3.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/dh5qx3mlegsjj1wz0rwzkmbsmirajtxkfssztckqxrwalkd3.png.png?w=1140&v=2\")
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Fast forward to 2025, driving along the A3, the arterial route that connects Portsmouth and London, the road verges, although in the very recent years, cleaner, lusher, with more wildflowers and uncut grasses, are devoid of Kestrels. Red Kites now glide with effortless grace overhead, that forked tail the only obvious moving part, acting as a rudder to keep the glide on track. Buzzards perch in roadside trees and shrubs, glowering out at the world that they have now inherited as the most common bird of prey in the UK. But no (or hardly any) Kestrels! Buzzards have increased fourfold since 1970, with Kestrel numbers halving in the same time period. There is no definite correlation between these population changes, Buzzards are not forcing out Kestrels, although they will compete for\u00a0food and territory with each other to a degree. The biggest driving factor remains human influence on the landscape. Changes in agriculture and climate have played the\u00a0biggest\u00a0roles. Kestrels rely heavily on a diet of Small Mammals\u00a0and birds, however, in tidy and intensively farmed Britain, we flay the verges, poison the rodents and invertebrates and grub out hedgerow. This has impacted the feeding places, roosts and food supply that these birds need to survive.\u00a0Buzzards, able to feed on a wider range of prey, including carrion, larger mammals and birds and invertebrates,\u00a0are able to make the most of an increasingly sterilized\u00a0environment.<\/p>
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The drop in Kestrel numbers is particularly prevalent\u00a0in the lowland agricultural areas of the UK such as the South Downs national park. This has made the decline more profound to me, living and growing up in this landscape. They were always the archetypal raptor in my childhood, the 'WindHover', 'Kez', 'Kestrel Clee' and in the 16th century 'Windfucker'. They were ubiquitous within our countryside\u00a0and along our verges and it's devastating to\u00a0have witnessed their\u00a0acute\u00a0and perilous\u00a0downturn in fortunes. Having spent extensive time in East Anglia, where the decline hasn't\u00a0been as grievous, you can still experience these birds in a way, approaching how I did in my childhood down south. Perched on telegraph wires, defying gravity over rough verges, and always on the lookout for their next meal. This shows that there is still a place for these birds, that if we can allow them space and the right conditions, they can still thrive!<\/p>
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The decline in Kestrels should not be seen in isolation though, they are the canaries in the coal mine, indicators as to the issues of our wider countryside. Intensive agriculture, climate breakdown is killing our countryside and to reverse this, we all need to make better, smarter choices! Buy from sustainable clothing brands like Birder, eat less but better meat, choose seasonal and local produce. We need to move away from the current, abominable\u00a0land use we see with factory and intensive agricultural methods and look to move regenerative methods to be able to restore the former biological glory of the UK.\u00a0![\"9xyywcwjr4ncfwknat3dzkeexyst0fn9f1c9iwuxrkzynd2a.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"](\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/9xyywcwjr4ncfwknat3dzkeexyst0fn9f1c9iwuxrkzynd2a.png.png?w=1140&v=2\")
James Cutting is a conservationist, wildlife writer and mental health advocate with a deep connection to the natural world. Through his writing, James explores how encounters with nature can inspire healing, self-discovery and hope.<\/p>
With years of experience contributing to wildlife publications and delivering talks for charities and organisations, James brings a unique perspective to his work. He combines personal stories of resilience with a profound understanding of how nature\u2019s wonders, from the delicate flight of a bird to the quiet magic of fungi, can transform lives.<\/p>
As a trainee bird ringer, keen birder and father to two nature-loving children, James often writes about his family\u2019s adventures exploring the wild. His blog and social channels are a celebration of nature\u2019s ability to soothe the soul and a call to embrace its restorative power.<\/p>
Whether wandering coastal paths, marvelling at nocturnal wildlife or documenting life through a conservationist\u2019s lens, James invites readers to share in his journey towards a deeper connection with the natural world.<\/p>