Within about 10 seconds this male kestrel gave me just about every conceivable stretching pose in the book.
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I found him yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA. He was in good light and close but he was at the top of a tree so the angle on the bird was steep – too steep for pleasing images in most cases so I’ll be deleting many of my photos of this cooperative little falcon. However, for this particular pose he leaned far forward which visually mitigated the steepness of the angle and I like the result.
I considered removing the two twigs poking into the frame at lower right but in the end chose not to. My ISO setting was a mistake for this situation but I was hoping for a take-off shot so I was set up for fast shutter speeds.
I like the excellent eye contact, the wing position, the widely spread tail and the raised and splayed right foot. I wish I had a few puffy white clouds in the sky to break up the blue background but that just didn’t happen. I don’t think I’ll complain much about it either.
Ron
Your shots are crispy, tight, sharp…all those words I covet as a photographer. Thank you for sharing what can be done with a camera.
Spectacular shot, Ron. I actually like the twigs at bottom right because they add something that keeps the image from looking too sterile.
Wonderful shot. I too like the tail feathers. Looks like he is waving hello.
Wow! Stunning shot, Ron. Simply stunning. And now I know it’s called a warble! Thank you!
Wow, wow, and wow.
And a few jealous thoughts.
Thank you, EC.
Kestrel yoga!
🙂
What. Wonderful image! Love the raised wing stretch and the fanned tail….all 12 tail feathers in a beautiful arc! Once again, I’m impressed with the choice of perch–at the very end of a thin, fragile-looking twig!!!
Patty, believe it or not, redtails like those itty bitty perches, too, often at the tippy top of spindly pine trees.
Patty, I saw that same bird this morning and yup, it was on that same perch again. In a snowstorm.
Ron, thanks. Made me need to get up from typing and stretch. Diana
It’s like yawning, Diana – it’s contagious!
Wonderful shot Ron.
Thank you, Larry.
Beautiful and educational thx to Laura. 🙂 Looks like some of it’s tail feathers are a little worn. Angle a challenge, BUT! 🙂
Laura (and others) add a lot with their knowledgeable comments, don’t they, Judy?
Glad you enjoyed it. That knowledge is a use-it-or-lose it kind of thing 😀 But I’m always knocked out by the antiquity of falconry. Nothing much has changed over the last couple of thousand years.
It must of been a glorious morning to witness and capture this falcons “beautifulness”!
It was exactly that, Nancy. The bird, bright blue skies, cold and snow on the ground – all contributed to a wonderful experience.
Beautiful shot Ron! They are so difficult to catch!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.
Just beautiful!
Want to learn a little arcane falconry language while you’re here? That stretch, both wings over the back, is called a warble. The other stretch with one wing and the same-side leg out to the side and pointed downward is called a mantle. Just to make everybody a little crazy, this stretch provides a second meaning for mantle, which is when they spread their wings and hunker down over their prey to hide it from other predators.
So there you go. If you’re ever on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, you’re covered!
Thanks, Laura, I liked learning that stuff. This bird did the warble and the mantle. It all began with an extended tail stretch that was first in the vertical position but then it splayed its tail way out to one side. Pretty fun to watch.
Interesting…i don’t really want to be on that show, just want the money, honey ,right, Ron? 🙂 ?
Thank you Laura.
Love the additions to Ron’s glorious depiction of this bird.
And, since I am as supple as a brick, any extensive stretching by me is most likely to be referred to as a splat.
LOL Elephant’s Child. That’s the same sound I make!! It’s annoying to be old and arthritic and creaky. Yeah, lots of creaking and popping and other annoying noises. 😀
Are you watching Ron? I’m stretching just for you and, man it feels soooo.. good!
Great shot, wonderful color, excellent conditioned falcon.
Thanks for sharing.
I couldn’t believe it when he gave me so many poses, Dick. Sure wish the angle hadn’t looked so steep for most of them.