American Kestrel

Gallery: AvianPosted September 30, 2011926 views24 comments

This is a favorite kestrel perch but sidelight is the best light I can get on it in the mornings and it made for a couple of bright areas. Light reflecting from snow and ice helped a little to fill in the shadows.

7D, 1/1000, f/8, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, shot from pickup window on 12/13/10, small exposure adjustment in ACR, cropped to 60% of original image, sharpened, NR to background, no additional processing or adjustments, natural light, not set up or baited

Larger version provided

Comments/critique appreciated

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by May Haga on September 30, 2011 at 7:56 PM

Gorgeous capture Ron. Love the spread out tail feathers.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on September 30, 2011 at 8:03 PM

Really unusual pose Ron, very nice. I do like the light too, you handled it very well.

Snow and ice? PLEASE tell me this isn't a recent photo! I'm not ready for winter!! :-)

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Jaymes Dempsey on September 30, 2011 at 8:52 PM

Excellent capture! Really like the colors...and the light on those tail feathers!

Registered on June 28, 2010, 47 Posts, 590 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on September 30, 2011 at 8:53 PM

One's gotta love this fan-tailed/wing lifted & active pose, it's wonderful Ron.
Interesting light, great BG & comp. Techs look very nice all around..
Good eye contact and a nice catch-light too.
Wish it was mine!
Have a great weekend my friend

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 30, 2011 at 9:49 PM

I love the spread tail and puffed out plumage, Ron. Beautiful light. The bright spots don't detract.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on September 30, 2011 at 10:16 PM

Love the fanned tail! Great eye contact too, this is really special!

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Hussain Nalwala on October 1, 2011 at 12:38 AM

This is just beautiful....

Registered on April 18, 2011, 298 Posts, 339 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 1, 2011 at 2:26 AM

What a wonderful tail-feather spread and such beautiful detail you've captured in the plumage Ron, the lighting and pose are equally delightful, excellent in every respect!

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on October 1, 2011 at 4:34 AM

Just simply beautiful Ron!

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on October 1, 2011 at 5:17 AM

If only our beloved Kestrels were so nice as yours

The bird, pose and colors are excellent ! The head looks slightly soft, but no show stopper for me ! Like it lots ! Congrats, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 1, 2011 at 5:51 AM

Great subject, beautiful subject & dark sky along with fan tail, what more you could ask for !
I may be tempted to burn the light part of the perch here.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on October 1, 2011 at 9:10 AM

Nice work Ron, if this one doesn't go into the "Kestrel Keeper" Hall of Fame then I don't know why. A super addition to your portfolio!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on October 1, 2011 at 9:25 AM

Wonderful blue background sky sets this bird off so well. Nice catchlight, and the fanned tail and feather puff show this bird's colors nicely. I like the sidelight and the few bright spots are not an issue, IMO. Very cool image Ron.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on October 1, 2011 at 1:11 PM

Interesting and different pose, Ron. Does look like the snow served nicely as a fill flash in those conditions. If mine I might give the head a round of sharpening. Well done.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Kleinfelder on October 1, 2011 at 1:15 PM

great shot love the pose .... light is very pleasing.

Registered on September 6, 2011, 14 Posts, 71 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on October 1, 2011 at 2:28 PM

Very nice, Ron! It's always nice to be able to get close to one.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on October 1, 2011 at 3:13 PM

Ron, the side lighting really makes this image for me. It really adds some depth to the bird. You handled the lighting situation very well for sure. Love the pose too with that wonderful tail spread and overall fluffed appearance. Very nice.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 1, 2011 at 6:28 PM

Wonderful display of feather colors with the side lighting and tail spread out. The larger image has excellent detail and the background color compliments the image, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by David E Lester on October 2, 2011 at 8:25 AM

Just super !!! I can't say more!!

Registered on March 24, 2010, 155 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on October 2, 2011 at 8:43 AM

A superb image with wonderful detail and an extremely interesting pose. Very, very nice! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on October 2, 2011 at 9:58 AM

Ron, this is one of the most amazing images I've seen. Absolutely beautiful in every way.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on October 2, 2011 at 11:52 AM

Excellent. I like sidelight.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Rohn B. McKee on October 3, 2011 at 12:28 AM

Beautiful
Can't wait for basketball to start

Registered on November 18, 2008, 109 Posts, 415 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on October 4, 2011 at 2:47 AM

Another classic Dudley - well done Ron. Love the fanned tail and light

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments