I'd need to check back to be sure, but it feels as though it's been a very quiet year on the kestrel front. Not that I don't see them, but they're often to far off for decent shots, or I'm in the car, or some other reason intervenes. So today I went out in search of them at Sheepcote Valley. There were three just beyond the entrance as I arrived, but they'd flown off before I was even out of the car. Hmm…
I spent an hour or so wandering around the valley. I think I saw a stoat, but I could be mistaken. I saw a couple of kestrels on the other side of the valley (it made no difference which side I was on… they were on the other side). I photographed a swallow in flight.
I managed a wheatear on the wing.
The kestrels were proving elusive, but persistence is a virtue and eventually I had some minor success. 
More tracking around led me to a small copse where I did slightly better.
The rest for today is from the garden… and yes that means foxes badgers 😉 This is one of the juveniles.
And some trail cam footage from last night… short sequences of 'pairs' featuring foxes and badgers. Just to note that the fox in the opening sequence is the very shy cub with the 'nicked' ear. I managed a single photo of her during the entire spring, so it's good to see that she is still around. She was cub number 4.
Camera note: bird shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens; badger photographed with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens; video from the Bushnell Trophy Cam.
Dudley
7 Sep 2012"photographed a swallow in flight"
You have achieved the "next to impossible"! :up:
blogibuzz
7 Sep 2012beautiful photos 😉
i love the second one
chthoniid
7 Sep 2012Wheatear is a splendid capture 🙂
We only have one local raptor that is common – Australian harrier. I've been trying for ages to get some good pics of one. They don't seem to want to get close to the camera.
Words
8 Sep 2012Richards, thanks!
Words
8 Sep 2012Chthoniid, thanks. The wheatear was a lucky shot. I was photographing it perching when it decided to move. We seem to be doing increasingly well with most raptor species, though some are still under threat. I guess we also have less space here, so all animals have to tolerate human activity to some extent.
Words
8 Sep 2012Erwin, thanks!
Words
8 Sep 2012Andy, I was quite pleased with that shot, but it was coming straight at me and for once was travelling a reasonably straight line.
SittingFox
8 Sep 2012Very nice capture of the wheatear :up:
Words
10 Sep 2012Adele, thanks! They're not the easiest to get in flight, but sometimes the best shots are when you are not trying. A large slice of luck in that one.
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Great shots