As promised a follow-up post to yesterday's teaser.
I'd gone down to the local site where I can generally guarantee to see kestrels. It's a small valley set in the top of the South Downs by Brighton Racetrack. It was cold, but the sun was bright and beginning to come down by mid afternoon. I'd wandered around for 20 minutes or so without any luck other than some fairly ordinary shots of a stonechat, some poor shots of goldfinches and a thrush. I'd spotted a couple of rabbits in the undergrowth, but was beginning to think I wouldn't get anything of particular interest. And it was cold. My fingers were going numb.
I had just spotted a stonechat land on some low undergrowth when a larger bird flew across my vision and disappeared behind some trees. Hmmmm… it looked promising so I abandoned the stonechat and headed along the path to get a better view. 
Two kestrels
Two kestrels were perched on a tree, a male and a female (although it was difficult to say which was which from that distance). I edged closer, a few yards at a time (taking several shots at each resting point). Eventually I got this. The male is the smaller of the two birds, and sports a grey cap. 
Male (left) and female (right) kestrel
The female flew down into the undergrowth shortly after that shot, but the male stuck around. The low winter sun was doing nothing to keep me warm, but was certainly providing some rich colour to the scene. It made a change from the recent washed-out light we've had of late. 
Male kestrel
I watched as the male flew down to feed on an earthworm. In this shot he's more or less finished his light snack.
Kestrel feeding
The female had settled a little further along the track. Her head feathers are streaked, unlike the grey of the male.
Female kestrel
She made a couple of further short flights looking for food, before coming to rest again. I don't know whether it was due to the cold and that they were trying to conserve energy, but neither of the kestrels displayed the normal hunting behaviour of hovering above the ground. Instead they seemed content to find a suitable perch and occasionally drop down to the ground to feed briefly on worms and insects. I saw no signs that either had caught more substantial prey.
A longer sequence from yesterday is in my Kestrels December 2008 album, but I'll leave with one last shot of the female.
Female kestrel
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
gdare
29 Dec 2008Beautiful photographs, especially the third one (male kestrel). Beautiful birds.
cakkleberrylane
29 Dec 2008You certainly got some great shots of the kestrel. Worth the numb fingers, I'm sure!
Words
29 Dec 2008Darko, thanks!
Words
29 Dec 2008Lois, yes it was great to see a pair like this. Usually they're more likely to be on the wing.
Ukwildlife
30 Dec 2008fabulous photos. I didnt see one in the usual spots today on my walk, so nice to see some photos
Words
30 Dec 2008Neil, I'm just back from another trip to see them, but not a sign today. I had to make do with the stonechats.
SittingFox
31 Dec 2008Just wonderful! Really, some of the best photos that I've ever seen of kestrels. It's nice seeing the pair together.
Words
31 Dec 2008Adele, thanks. It was an unusual encounter even for such a good location. Great light too. Couldn't really go wrong.