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Lesser Kestrel


Lesser Kestrel
Photo Information
Copyright: Emin Yogurtcuoglu (goldfinchtr) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 176 W: 22 N: 366] (1432)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-15
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Falcons - II chapter [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-16 6:21
Viewed: 585
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Falco naumanni-Lesser Kestrel tr.Küçük Kerkenez

This male hunted a mice for its young at Yavrucak Village.

Information about this beautiful raptor;
The males are relatively easy to separate from Common Kestrels. They have plain rufous backs and blue panels in the upperwing and the lack of a dark moustache gives them a more gentle baby-faced expression. From below, their pale underwing contrasts with a darker, rather peachy-coloured body but beware that even Common Kestrels can look very pale in the strong Mediterranean light. A more useful clue is the fact that the central tail feathers are distinctively longer than the rest of the tail. This not only gives the tail a more graduated shape, it also means that the prominent black bar near the tip of the tail often has a little step in it. Be careful though because a Common Kestrel in moult may also have tail feathers of different lengths. Female and juvenile Lesser Kestrels are much harder to identify. Like the males they are pale under the wing and have more tapering tails than Common Kestrels but it’s best to try to identify them at rest when you can look for a plainer face, shorter tail (scarcely reaching beyond the tips of the wings) and, if you’re really close, white claws.

Breeds colonially on cliffs or buildings, often in town centres but also in isolated farms. Feeds mostly in open country, often sitting on telegraph wires.

A very rare vagrant with 17 records in Britain and Ireland up until 1995.

Locally common in parts of Spain, Portugal and Turkey but scarce or absent elsewhere. They often nest in the middle of towns and villages where they are easy to see and watch. Favoured sites include Arcos, Caceres (around 200 pairs, the largest colony) and Trujillo in Spain, Nees Karies (Greece) and Akkoy and Adabag in Turkey.
7-8,000 breeding pairs across southern and eastern Europe. Largest numbers are found in Spain, Turkey, Italy and Greece.
deblink, Matt-Bird, Kathleen, kjpweb, mikou, jaycee, Raptorman has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Emin,
This is an amazing image, such sharpness which shows the finer detail of the Kestrel in flight and with it prey. I am very impressed and it is my hope that one day I will have the ability to take an image as good. Wow.
Cheers,
Debbie

Hello Emin,
Fantastic photo of this Kestrel with prey. Very sharp with great details, composition and POV. The tail of the bird is exceptional.
Regards,
Peter

Hi Emin,
Great capture and timing. It a good still image with all movement frozen. Its sharp and clean and a good composition.
Regards
Matt.

  • Great 
  • eev Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 65 W: 34 N: 49] (660)
  • [2007-06-16 7:00]

Nice capture. Very clear and sharp.

  • Great 
  • pac Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 84 W: 14 N: 158] (1727)
  • [2007-06-16 7:15]

I totally agree with Debbie - an amazing picture!

/Dan

Hi Emin.
Great image. Your composition showing all the feather detail and with it's prey is perfect. Lighting, colour and detail spot on.
Is it braking, is that why it's tall is spread out and down?
Wonderful

Kathleen
New Zealand

merhaba emin bey ,
Tek kelimeyle mükkemmel.
tebrikler
d ali

Hi,
This is a masterpiece capture! The colors are very natural and the action is freezed. I love the overall effect of the picture
TFS
Goutham

Great capture - bird with prey! Great sharpness and detail!
Bravo!

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1179 W: 0 N: 4496] (13406)
  • [2007-06-16 8:29]

Hi Emin

A brilliant shot. You must be really good at panning to be able to capture this. Great composition and focus.

James

  • Great 
  • mikou Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 863 W: 73 N: 1348] (5265)
  • [2007-06-16 8:31]

Hi Emin.
Excellent in-flight shot.Great pose with beautiful position his wings.Perfectly you caught this moment with prey in talons.Precise sharp details in plumage and beautiful colors.Superb blue color in BG too.Great job!
TFS,with greeting Milos.

hi emin,
very nice shot of the flying bird, well composed shot, lovely colours, nice pose, the sky makes fine bg,
very good sharpness,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Emin,

Whauw. A excellent in-flight shot. POV and BG are perfect. Great pose with beautiful position of his wings. Wonderful naturel colours.Regards and TFS Bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1658 W: 8 N: 4248] (13845)
  • [2007-06-16 11:28]

HI Emin,

This in-flight shot of the Kestrel has it all! The expression on the face is wonderful! Sharp details and beautiful colors. The position you caught him in shows off the wings beautifully. I love the way he is holding onto the mouse. A wonderful capture.

Jane

Emin , avıyla birlikte güzel bir fotoğraf , eline sağlık.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2007-06-16 16:10]

Merhaba Emin,
Tek kelime ile mükemmel bir fotograf.Zamanlama,netlik,gözdeki ışıltı,her yönü ile 4/4 lük bir çalışma.Tebrikler,ellerine sağlık!

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3060 W: 231 N: 5811] (19544)
  • [2007-06-18 10:15]

A fantastic POV, Emin.
What a great view of the prey in its talons, of the wing and tail feathers spread out.
Great details well shown against the beautiful blue sky.
TFS. : )

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