Category Archives: Bird of Prey

A little kestrel sequence

December 28, 2016 by Words | 4 Comments

This is really the second part (or prequel) to yesterday’s post. Before heading to Rottingdean I’d been over at Sheepcote Valley in search of owls. No luck with them (though they are about). Instead I came across a kestrel who provided a brief but active sequence.

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

I’m sort of running a day behind myself, but I will add this one from today. It’s a ‘Bravias arc’ or ‘upsidedown rainbow’ or ‘Smiley in the Sky’. It’s caused by light refracting on ice particles. They are related to ‘sundogs’ which tend to be vertical patches, but this was the first time I’ve seen an extended arc. The shot is taken with the camera pointing straight up to the sky.

Bavias arc or circumzenithal arc (also known as the Smiley in the Sky or Upsidedown Rainbow) seen over Woodingdean, East Sussex. The phenomenon is caused by a rare alignment of the angle of the sun with ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Camera note: all kestrel photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. The sky-smiley was taken with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens.

Also posted in Kestrel, Weather Tagged , , |

Kestrel on the Watts Building

December 19, 2016 by Words | 3 Comments

A very brief blog tonight (just keeping my hand in). It’s a male kestrel that frequents the Watts Building at the University of Brighton, so something of an urban dweller.

Kestrel on Watts Building, University of Brighton

Kestrel taking off from the Watts Building, University of Brighton

Kestrel ontaking off from the Watts Building, University of Brighton

Kestrel not on the Watts Building, University of Brighton

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Also posted in Kestrel Tagged |

Sunny Day at Watts Bank

November 25, 2016 by Words | 6 Comments

A beautiful sunny winter’s day, and for the first time in a while I was able to enjoy it at lunchtime. All these shots were taken within 15 metres of my office (I was feeling lazy, but it worked out well). And it’s fitting to have some of our local workplace wildlife featured in a week when the University of Brighton was ranked 2nd in the national People and Planet University league.

The day started with a lively chiffchaff singing just outside my window. I didn’t manage a good photo of that, but later on when I was able to get outside I spent some time watching a squirrel in the same tree.

Grey squirrel at Watts Bank, University of Brighton

Grey squirrel at Watts Bank, University of Brighton

Grey squirrel at Watts Bank, University of Brighton

Grey squirrel at Watts Bank, University of Brighton

I was distracted from the squirrel by a kestrel flying in low across the car park. It hovered for a while and then perched at the top of the tallest building on the campus. It remained in the vicinity for much of the rest of the day, and I’m hopeful that it’s considering taking up residence here. That would be nice!

kestrel

Kestrel flying over Watts Bank

Kestrel hovering

Kestrel hovering

kestrel

Kestrel on the edge of Watts Bank (yes I messed up the settings as it dropped so quickly… but I like the effect)

kestrel

The same kestrel high on the Watts Building

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Also posted in Kestrel, squirrel Tagged , , , |