Male American Kestrel In Flight

Until yesterday, I’ve been largely stymied in my efforts got get good quality images of American Kestrels in flight.  This has been especially frustrating because kestrels are the most numerous and widespread falcon in North America and they’re very common in my photography stomping grounds.  I have many high quality images of them perched, but in-flight has been a different story.

Because these falcons are small and their flight is swift and erratic, the photographer’s best chance is to catch them hovering.  But they always hover facing into the wind and it seems like every time I’ve had that opportunity with them the sun has been behind them.  Or they’re facing away from me.  Or I can’t get a catch light in the eye.  Or they’re too far away.  Or they stop hovering and fly further away just as I get the pickup stopped and my lens up.  Or…  ad infinitum.

 

american kestrel 8175 ron dudley

 1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in

But yesterday morning, this male forgot just how much fun it is to aggravate me and gave me some opportunities in good light.   He would hover for a few seconds, then move on to another nearby location and hover some more.

It’s fascinating to watch them hover up close through the lens.  The wings alternate between gliding and flapping and the tail is constantly adjusting to every minor variation in the breeze but the position of the head seems to be absolutely fixed in space as it scans below, looking for prey.  A true master of the air currents.

Ron

23 Comments

  1. Oh, and a question: Do kestrels have cones in the nasal passages, too?

  2. Beautifully captured! Bravo!

  3. Ron:
    Congrats on finally getting a kestrel flight shot that you like. It is so gratifying to finally get a shot that has eluded you for a long time. I’m sure that a capture of most of your discards would bring much joy to many of us.
    Dave

  4. Payback for all those ad infinitums!!

  5. Such beautiful face!!

  6. Infinite patience rewarded. And rewards for us as well. Thank you – that is such a beautiful shot.

  7. I think you have an award winner here. Beautiful!

  8. This is such a fantastic picture…..your pictures always brighten my day.

  9. Well Ron your patience paid off in spades. Beautiful capture! The only decent shots I have of Kestrels in flight is as the lift off from a power line and the line is always in the shot.
    Beautiful work!

  10. Absolutely beautiful! I see them hovering frequently but I appreciate your descriptive a very much. They are truly my favorite raptor!

  11. Great shot, Ron! These beautiful birds are certainly widespread, as you say. A few weeks ago we drove near the Gulf Coast in southern Louisiana, and they seemed to be perched on power lines every 100 yards along the highway. This week, hiking in southern California, we had several flirting with us. And not a single decent BIF shot in either location. This species seems to blanket the country, presenting beauty and photographic frustration everywhere.

  12. This is the most fantastic kestrel flight shot I have ever seen! Thanks so much for sharing!

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