{"id":24153,"date":"2015-10-13T23:03:08","date_gmt":"2015-10-13T22:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.permuted.org.uk\/photography\/?p=24153"},"modified":"2015-10-13T23:03:08","modified_gmt":"2015-10-13T22:03:08","slug":"kestrel-at-watts-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.permuted.org.uk\/photography\/kestrel-at-watts-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Kestrel at Watts House"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes it’s better to stay put, but that’s a lesson I learnt after<\/em> I clambered all the way up here in search of the local kestrels.<\/p>\n

\"South<\/a>
South Downs at Hollingbury\/Moulsecoomb<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I got back to work (exercised, but with no sightings to report) to discover that a kestrel had been seen on Watts Bank (the patch of green just outside Watts House, my new location at work). Apparently it had been out hunting, and – presumably – feeding! later in the day I glanced out of my window, and sure enough it was back. This first shot was taken through a narrow gap from my desk (the windows don’t open very wide).<\/p>\n

\"Young<\/a>
Young kestrel at Watts Bank, Moulsecoomb, University of Brighton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By the look of it, it’s a youngster, quite small and without the distinctive adult markings on the head and face. I popped outside briefly to get a slightly better shot.<\/p>\n

\"Young<\/a>
Young kestrel at Watts Bank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Young<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Young<\/a><\/p>\n

This is going to encourage me to stay put if the weather holds, so that I get more time to get a little closer and see what other wildlife the area is home to. There are certainly lizards (though I’ve not seen them, and it’s getting a touch cold for them to venture out), plus slow worms. And chiffchaffs! It should be a good spot for butterflies as well. <\/p>\n

For now though, having a local kestrel is a definite plus!<\/p>\n

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f\/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes it’s better to stay put, but that’s a lesson I learnt after I clambered all the way up here in search of the local kestrels. I got back to work (exercised, but with no sightings to report) to discover that a kestrel had been seen on Watts Bank (the patch of green just outside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wildlife","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t