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American Kestrel


American Kestrel
Photo Information
Copyright: Wing Lee (wingle) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 35 W: 2 N: 71] (419)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-14
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 1D MkII N
Exposure: f/8, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Falcons - II chapter, jmp *2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-07-22 22:27
Viewed: 5372
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This American Kestrel was feeding on a small bird when I serendipitously walked outside the backyard with my camera.

The American Kestrel is the only North American falcon to habitually hover with rapid wing beats, keeping its head motionless while scanning the ground for prey. The kestrel commonly perches along fences and powerlines. It glides with flat wings and wingtips curved upward. It occasionally soars in circles with its tail spread and its wings flat.
Several hunting techniques are used by the American Kestrel. It will hover over one spot—when prey is sighted the kestrel will partly fold its wings and drop lower once or several times before striking. When the prey disappears the falcon will glide in a semicircle before turning back into the wind to hover again. It will also soar in circles, or figure eights, using the same stooping tactics as when hovering.
The kestrel commonly hunts from elevated perch sites, waiting for prey to move on the ground. The kestrel bobs its head and pumps its tail just before attacking.
Other prey capture techniques include direct pursuit, landing and flushing prey from the ground (especially for grasshoppers)and then taking them in flight, capturing flying insects from an elevated perch, and nest robbing including the burrows of Bank Swallows and the nests of Cliff Swallows. It is also an occasional bat catcher, taking bats from their tree roosts, or striking bats in flight from above or as the bats leave or enter caves. The kestrel will kill and cache food items.
The American Kestrel occasionally robs others of the same species. It has also been known to rob a shrike of its prey. Kestrels sometimes harass other hawks, and even Golden Eagles, in flight.

Source: Wikipedia
spalaxtr, valy67, pirate, jmp has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To claudine: hi Claudinewingle 1 08-31 01:29
To valy67: Thankswingle 1 08-14 21:15
To spalaxtr: Hi Mustafawingle 1 07-22 23:11
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Wing,
Extraordinary sharpness and details. Very good composition, BG anf POV. Very well done. TFS. Mustafa

Hello Wing !
This is a fantastic picture ! You have captured a great moment ! I love the composition, the POV, the BG with its soft colors, the pose of the bird. Maybe the picture is a bit soft, particularly n the bird - did you use some noise reduction software ? Anyway, it is a wonderful picture. Very well done !
Valerie.

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-07-23 2:35]

Hello Wing,
What a great moment. The colours are very good. Composition, soft BG and POV are fantastic.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Wing,
Outstanding decisive moment image.
Well composed.
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2007-07-23 3:56]

Excellente prise,superbe le moment saisi.
Merci!
Joseph

  • Great 
  • pirate Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 799 W: 152 N: 1186] (7474)
  • [2007-07-23 13:25]

Hi Wing
probably the best posture you can get!
great even if the sunshine is in the back.
Tfs
TOM

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2007-07-24 11:51]

Hi Wing,
Excellent pov, pose, colours, light and a great moment!
TFS, José M.

  • Great 
  • Pier Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 25 W: 0 N: 37] (808)
  • [2007-08-12 1:53]

Very very nice, stupenda cattura.
Le tue foto sono veramente belle.
Un saluto Pierdamiano

Hello Wing. I find this composition amazing. So much detail and just a superb capture.

Hello Wing,
This is another precious capture from you! The action is great and so are colors, details, POV, composition and exposure. I wish I could catch such a wonderful like this picture someday :-) Our birds of prey here are really not easy to capture… They are shy birds :) Well done and TFS,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-09-30 14:44]

Hello Wing ! What a great capture you did ! Perfect composition, great moment, very good focus and sharpness ! Wonderful shot !

Mario

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