Kestrel with prey

One from today. Kestrels normally are difficult to approach, but this young female is the exception. Whenever she catches a vole, she either eats it right away, or brings it to a perch (that I put in the meadow) and kills it there. Afterwards she hides the mouse or vole in some grass (same place everytime). This photo shows her hiding a Meadow Vole in the same spot where there is already 2 other voles.

I have seen this behaviour 2 days in a row now, so obviously I will work a lot with her the coming days.

20D + 500/4; iso400, f5.6 1/400; from car-window.

Disclaimer: This is a wild bird with a wild mouse. No setup.

Hi Helge

This is an excellent behavourial image with good colour and detail. I do find the image slightly flat though. I downloaded it and tweaked the levels and curves just to boost the colour and contrast a bit, and I think this helps the image. You might also consider a slight crop from the top and right hand side just to tighten the composition a bit.

I am always impressed with your ability to get such good images of wild birds without baiting, I remember some of your owl photographs from last winter.

Well done, great image.

cheers

Sean

Great behavioural shot.
I also think a slightly tighter crop would help a bit but that would be my only minor nit.



dennis

Hello Helge

Very nice image - though I feel it's lacking a little punch. I concur with the other posters re. the crop.

I'm very much looking forward to some more images of this bird from you.

Regards

Hi Helge

Minor nits covered - what a cracking shot, these sort of images in the wild require time and dedication!

David

Thanks guys, I appreciate very much your comments. I feel in general my images loose some punch in the proces from my screen to uploaded on UKNP/NPN

Included a version where I have tried to play a bit with curves, and a tighter crop. On my screen though it seems more saturated than real life. What do you think ?

Cheers, Helge

Hi Helge

I think it's better.

Do you apply your curves adjustment only to the luminosity channel ? (Maybe better for your image.)

Cheers

Excellent Helge. The second is far better IMO although I like the colour somewhere between the first and second perhaps. Dedication is certainly needed for these shots and you've come up trumps with this. Hopefully some more to follow over the next few days.

Graeme

Hi Helge

2nd post is better to my eye. Colours and contrast are improved. The crop is fine, although you could leave a bit more space on the right hand side. A matter of personal preference really.

cheers

Sean

Hello Helge
I agree that the second image is the better of the two, it's just got that bit more depth. I have never heard of this behaviour before and you have done remarkably well to capture it in camera. Excellent result.
Best wishes
Phil

Super stuff Helge, I never knew they hid food I guess it's a policy of making the most when the goings good.



Tim

Excellent behavior shot Helge. This bird will hopefully give you many images over a few days.

Rob

Super Behaviour image Helge....

I may be in the minority here but I prefer your first crop with a bit of room around the bird but am all too aware that this is personal. As A.R.D. mentions if you do any curves/levels adjustments and then fade them to luminosty (edit>fade) or change the blending mode of an adjustment layer to luminosity you will only affect the contrast (curves) or white & black points (levels) without altering the colour or saturation. Checking your image in PS all it really needed was a slight boost in mid tone contrast with a slight S curve, also you posted without a profile, try converting the image to sRGB for web presentation....

Super shot and looking forward to seeing more.

Hi helge
great capture and a good story. That is one big mouse!
John
Aberdeen

great image. I think the space in the original is fine as it allows you to crop to suit or use it for text like a business card. Well done.

John

I like the look of the 1st one better.Its a great shot anyway.And as said that mouse is a mouth full .

To A.R.D. and Phil: I have never tried the approach you mention with "fade to luminosity". I'm not sure I understand the reason for this, but I have found it in my PS version (7.0), and will try to apply it in the future. Thanks a lot for the recommendation!

To Phil: Regarding "Lack of profile" - what does that mean I mean, I always converts my images to sRGB and then use "save for Web", including this one. What am I missing here ?

Thanks for taking your time to educate me in Photoshop,

cheers Helge.

Brilliant Helge- a real wildlife image

It's all been said Helge, Cracker!

Regards Chris
www.c-m-l.com