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How can I finish my wrapping of gifts when God keeps sending me ones like this?  I've not seen an American Kestrel in the wild...this was in my backyard, does that count as wild?  I did a quick process just so you could see her.  She is so pretty!  She was hunting in one of our bushes, but came up empty. 

Oh WOW  That is one beautiful bird.

Where did you see it

Absolutely beautiful. 

Becky

My goodness, Kathleen!

That's absolutely gorgeous.  Yes, I'd say that's "wild"! 

I know that must have been a pleasant surprise. I spent two hours Christmas eve lying in a straw field trying to get a shot of a hawk hunting there and you just shoot right out the window. You lucky girl.

I would say it is in the wild. Nice shot!

Wow great shot she is truly beautiful

Don, that's so true. 

You go out and get all wet and cold while waiting and Kathleen was in her kitchen! 

I'm still in awe!

Quote from: Pat on December 25, 2008, 02:26:12 PM



Don, that's so true. 

You go out and get all wet and cold while waiting and Kathleen was in her kitchen! 

I'm still in awe!

Actually, my daughter was yelling for me to come downstairs because I was in my bedroom and she said there are two birds but not our regular birds and then I saw the pair of them and immediately knew what they were and dashed for my camera.

I ran upstairs to my "bird blind" aka laundry room where I've removed the screen and hung a big sage green piece of thick material over the window.  One of the pair had already flown away.  I took a few shots through the window just to get them in case she flew away when I opened the window.  I then carefully opened the window and she didn't even mind.  She did look at me when she heard my shutter click, but didn't look threatened or bothered in any way.  I sat on my step stool for an hour with my camera on a monopod.  The snow was flying and the wind was blowing and I was very thankful to not have to have been out in it.  From where she was perched, I never could have gotten the shots I did from the ground floor nor could I have gotten outside to shoot without scaring her off.  My bird blind is the best thing ever!

Man, this falcon was so fast that by the time I had an incling she was going for the prey in my bush, she was just about out of my frame.  I did get a couple shots of her actually flying toward the bush and pounching on it, which I will try to post, but my auto focus or my manual (I'm slower than it, I think) focus was too slow to catch her in time for most of the shots.

Sorry, Don, that you had to brave the outdoors and elements.  So, did you get any good shots?   

Thanks for the nice comments everyone!  I will try to post more shots of her in the near future.   

she is beautiful.  Way to go.  I am looking forward to seeing more of what you have described.

Looking forward to seeing your others, Kathleen.  Just fill up this topic with kestrals!  IN THE WILD!  HAHAHAHA

QuoteI saw the pair of them

A pair of them, not one but two. You lucky,lucky girl!!

QuoteSorry, Don, that you had to brave the outdoors and elements.  So, did you get any good shots?

Nope, nothing for me on this attempt.

Please let us see more when you have time.

Okay, you asked for it...more Kestrel photos!

Isn't she sweet?  Doesn't seem like she would hurt a fly, does she?

She's now moved into position above our bush where the sparrows are.



Now she watches and waits...

She gets hard to see in these shots, but she flew down so fast and I was zoomed out in an effort to catch her in flight after seeing just how fast she takes off.  She blends in with the bush, too.  These are cropped and still too far away, unfortunately. 

It's amazing how fast she flew down to the bush and how she twists her wings as she attacks.  The blowing wind and snow prevented truly sharp images.  I can't wait to get my faster glass so I can get better shots.

She missed her prey this time...I hope you all enjoy these images!

KAthleen thses are beautiful.  I have been showing my DSIL who loves falcons.  He was amazed at how close you got to her.  Way to go!

Thanks, Judy. 

Ya, these birds are jay-sized, so they are quite small and more difficult to photograph.  I thanked God for bringing them so close to me.   

Here's another...

Fantastic to see these, Kathleen.

I'd love to have been in your position and captured these shots.  One you got the whole tail and that was wonderful to see.

Here's another shot of that American Kestrel from the thread A Kestrel Christmas Eve...This is after she missed her prey in the bush.  She just sat there before flying back up on our trellis.

What a wonderful visitor you had, Kathleen.

Thanks so much for sharing these.

Thanks, Pat.  I enjoyed her visit very much. 

As I told someone else, I think I got spoiled with the hawk, the falcon and then the northern flicker coming to my yard because the past two days there's only been the usual mourning doves, finches and sparrows.  I keep looking out and feel a little sad when there's nothing spectacular or different out there.  haha 

She's beautiful great shot.

I understand that feeling!

Has this kestral been back, Kathleen?

Quote from: Pat on January 28, 2009, 02:27:11 PM
Has this kestral been back, Kathleen?

Sadly, no, but the hawk has been back and the Northern Flickers are daily visitors now.  They know they can get fresh water from our pond.  Last week we had our first pine siskins to our feeders.  I'm logging what birds we see each day.  It's very fun!

I've never seen one of those, Kathleen.  I wonder if it's a western bird.

How far away from the house are your feeders?

I have two hoppers and a sock feeder about 12 feet from my back door.  Then, I have two suit feeders.  One about 14ft and one about 20 feet from my back door.  Our pond is right below my living room window.

The Kestrel was about 22 feet from my blind out on top of our trellis.  It was hunting the house sparrows that nest in the bush.
My Audubon field guide to birds, western region says "Range: Breeds from Alaska and Northwest Territories east through Maritime Provinces and south throughtout continent.  Winters north to British Columbia, Great Lakes, and New England.  Also in American tropics."

She may have been back at a time when I wasn't looking or home.  That day she was only there for about an hour.  Maybe since she didn't catch anything that day she decided not to come back.  Who knows?

Here's an image from the last time the sharp-shinned hawk was here...



Sure wish I had a longer, faster zoom with IS.

Beautiful pictures. My sister, Courtney, will love these.

Just out of curiosity, what is the longest lens you have?