This lady is a frequent visitor to our dinner table, err.. garden. She's usually an excellent hunter and flushes the flocks of spuggies that are hiding shivering in the bushes (she even runs under the hedges after them!), but recently she hasn't dined out on much - least we haven't seen the piles of feathers if she has.
Spotted her looking for a snack yesterday - not a bird in sight. Instead she managed to catch a rather dim vole that played 'dare' with her twice by running along the base of the fence - she caught it on the second stoop, after sitting up for 5 mins when she missed the 1st time! She then managed to find a spot to eat where she was hidden from the camera. grrr.
Seems voley is a bit more effort to eat than a spuggie as she took a long time to pluck & munch. The stone wall held the evidence once she'd gone... loads of little fur tufts. I can see why Kestrels like Voles...anything brighter is too much hard work!
Posted by Jim Greenfield on January 21, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Super capture - love the eye. Nice story too. Easy to get rid of the wire too.
Posted by Mark Sisson on January 21, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Nice bird, nice pic, nice story.
Mark
Posted by Andy Shepherd on January 21, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Hi Nick,
Very nice image IMO , very intense eye's , like it lots
Regards
Andy...
Posted by eric weight on January 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Nice... perhaps a shame that a little more DoF for the bird was not possible (the techs tell the story there) great shot though and she does look well fed.....
Posted by John Chapman on January 21, 2008 at 5:30 PM
The bird is great Nick also the BG but not so keen on the perch.
John
Aberdeen
Posted by Graeme Lee on January 22, 2008 at 9:03 AM
Super shot Nick. Perch is fine with me too..... sharp where it really needs it and fine processing
Posted by Paul Inglis on January 22, 2008 at 9:30 AM
What a lovely bird! Cracking capture! I'm hoping to spend a little time this year shooting one of these - just hope I can get the eye as good as yours.
Posted by Michael Sayles on January 22, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Great shot and story! Perch is fine with me too (sheesh, some of you lot are picky! )
Discussion
14 replies1Dii, 500/4, 1.4xII, 1/80 @ f/5.6, ev-2/3, ISO640, handheld.
This lady is a frequent visitor to our dinner table, err.. garden. She's usually an excellent hunter and flushes the flocks of spuggies that are hiding shivering in the bushes (she even runs under the hedges after them!), but recently she hasn't dined out on much - least we haven't seen the piles of feathers if she has.
Spotted her looking for a snack yesterday - not a bird in sight. Instead she managed to catch a rather dim vole that played 'dare' with her twice by running along the base of the fence - she caught it on the second stoop, after sitting up for 5 mins when she missed the 1st time! She then managed to find a spot to eat where she was hidden from the camera. grrr.
Seems voley is a bit more effort to eat than a spuggie as she took a long time to pluck & munch. The stone wall held the evidence once she'd gone... loads of little fur tufts. I can see why Kestrels like Voles...anything brighter is too much hard work!
Mark
Very nice image IMO , very intense eye's , like it lots
Regards
Andy...
Dave
Barry
Eastbourne
John
Aberdeen
Perch doesn't bother me at all - they sit where they sit and that's it, there's nothing you can do about it
Michael S