Kestrel Feeding Photo Special

I spent the afternoon watching kestrels. The light was good, and the kestrels were hungry :chef: Perfect.

The first one I spotted was some distance away and although I tend to prefer 'close' shots, this one (a female) was hovering against a perfect backdrop of clouds.

I started to follow her as she scanned the ridge of the valley, gradually catching up with her as she paused in search of prey.

I eventually lost track of her, but a male was even more cooperative.

He disappeared into the valley, leading me on another trek across through stubbled grass and brambles. I'd lost sight of him, but my general direction was good. Too good. I disturbed him feeding.

He came down within view, and this time I was more cautious in my approach. He was aware of me, but I perched down low and resisted moving too close. The prey is a vole. The rest of the photos here tell their own story.


Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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This Post Has 17 Comments

  1. RobinL

    13 Feb 2011

    Words, Wow, what great shots. He was keenly aware you were there and determined you weren't getting any vole for tea!

  2. gdare

    13 Feb 2011

    He didn`t consider you as a threat to him or his food so he just let you stay around 😀
    Once, a hawk caught a chicken in a middle of a road in one village in Croatia. Unfortunately, a chicken was too big for him to carry it away so he started to chop it right in the spot. He didn`t care about cars and people watching him, I guess he was way too hungry :chef:

  3. wellisteffi

    13 Feb 2011

    Great post and excellent pictures. :up:

  4. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Robin, he wasn't going to let me get too close. The shots are actually in two locations. he shifted a second time, but again only a short hop. I liked the way he cleaned his nails once he'd finished eating. Very proper!

  5. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Darko, the kestrels are pretty relaxed with people as long as you don't startle them or encroach too much. The main difficulty is finding a clear line of sight because the undergrowth is so tangled. A hawk with a chicken must have attracted plenty of attention!

  6. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Steffi, thanks!

  7. SittingFox

    13 Feb 2011

    Once again, very impressed with the quality of the shots! :up:

    Exceptional sequence, too 🙂

  8. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Adele, it was certainly one of the better feeding sequences I've managed (and luckily I'd changed battery and put in a clean card just before I came across it).

  9. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Have just added a few more shots here

  10. anonymous

    13 Feb 2011

    Gaina writes:

    Those photos are stunning! Are they all hand held or do you use any king of monopod? I have a chest pod now and it's honestly the best £20 I ever spent :).

  11. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Gaina, they're all hand-held, though for most of the feeding shots I was crouched down with my elbow firmly supported on my leg (human triangles!). Plus the lens has stabilization 😉

  12. gdare

    13 Feb 2011

    Originally posted by Words:

    A hawk with a chicken must have attracted plenty of attention!

    My friend who saw that told me people were stopping their cars and watched him. No one cared about poor chicken but this is how wildlife functions. One is always a prey :left:

  13. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Originally posted by gdare:

    No one cared about poor chicken

    Not even the farmer 😉

  14. Words

    13 Feb 2011

    Erwin, thanks!

  15. serola

    15 Feb 2011

    Kestrel photos are always my favorites :love:

  16. Words

    15 Feb 2011

    Thanks Sami! They're great birds to watch and it's always a bonus to see them feeding.

  17. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    Beautiful shots :up:

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