An agile and athletically confident falcon in a rare moment of physical awkwardness and indecision.
- This is another shot of the same male kestrel I posted a photo of a week ago. It was taken eight days ago near Bear River MBR.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 320, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The little falcon was really struggling to maintain his balance on the spindly perch because the south wind was bouncing him hither and yon. Before this shot was taken both of his feet were wrapped around a single twig which gave him very little stability in the wind so here he’s trying to reposition his left foot but he hasn’t yet decided where to put it. During the process of making that decision he had to use his wings for balance.
In the photos after this one his left foot was wrapped around several twigs.
I think kestrels typically have a confident, almost cocky air about them so I enjoy witnessing his moment of vulnerability. The image is very sharp so I also like seeing such fine detail in an action shot.
As I type this at 4:40 AM I can hear the wind howling outside. I wonder how this guy is doing right now. I hope he’s hunkered down somewhere out of the cold wind.
Ron
Addendum:
As an afterthought I decided to include this photo, taken 12 frames (just over a second) later in the burst. Notice that even though both feet are now wrapped around several twigs he’s still struggling with balance in the wind. Here he almost went ass over teakettle.
Almost immediately after this shot was taken he gave up and flew off.
Cold and wind are both relative. Here’s the National Weather Service Wind Chill Alert for Glacier County MT for last night through Thursday. Our family farm near Cut Bank is in Glacier County:
“Wind chills between 30 below zero and 50 below zero
at times. For the Wind Chill Advisory, very cold wind chills
expected later Tuesday through Thursday. “
He’s such a beautiful Kestrel — you’re right about seeing the little vicious thing being less than in charge of his surroundings.
As you know it doesn’t happen often with this species, Marty.
Double trouble…beautiful images…
Thank you, Patty.
It might have been a challenge for him, but he triumphed. Which is a whole heap more than I could have done.
Great shots of this determined and beautiful little bird.
Sadly our Bureau of Meteorology has shifted its rain forecast. Today we can expect three spits of nothing. Tomorrow (which never comes) possibly a little more. They are right about the smoke haze though. It is indeed still here.
Thanks, EC. I’m sorry to hear about the change in your forecast. It’s about time you folks, and your critters, had a break!!!
Particularly the critters. The last estimate has over 1.25 BILLION lost. Which breaks my heart.
I can’t even fathom that number…Heart broken here too.
I cried about this yesterday. Maybe my tears can call some rain for you.
“…ass over teakettle…”
Best description ever! Thank you for sharing this post! It has more meaning for me today than you know!
Oh oh… I hope that doesn’t mean you took a tumble recently, Julia.
No 🙂
More a metaphor for life right now… when things catch me off guard… find my wings… grab hold or take flight in better things.
Must have been a good chuckle while you were trying to keep him in the frame. I dub this guy “Twiggy”. Ok, so it’s a girl’s name but it fits considering it’s all spindly legs and limbs and you captured such a serious bird in a what the British might term “a bit of discomposure”.
“Must have been a good chuckle while you were trying to keep him in the frame”
You’re exactly right Lyle. In three of my very best shots of him (out of several hundred) I cut off his wing while he was trying to balance. I wasn’t a happy photographer about that…
Beautiful little assassin…. 😉 Certainly wasn’t going to get much hunting while trying to keep balanced. He wouldn’t want to be out and and about here this morning. -10 with -25 windchill at the moment! 🙁 Wind not “howling” but, as you know, it doesn’t take “much”……
Thanks, Judy. I was wondering what conditions were like in your neck of the woods.
Ron, if I had your photography skills I am afraid that I would need a couple large rooms just to hang all my photos that looked like these. I love these little innocent looking killers and work with the kestrel restoration folks here in Prescott. Beautiful shots. The top one really special.
Ha, I don’t have enough wall space! Or enough money laying around to have them all framed. Thanks, Everett.
I love the photos and the comments! Keep them coming…
Thanks, Alison. I took hundreds of shots of this bird and his “buddy” but for now I think I’ll lay off of them for a while…
Trying to regain his balance in the wind…aren’t we all? Thank you for the beautiful photos.
Elizabeth
Good point, Elizabeth – at least for many of us.
It must have been something really alluring keeping him in this spot and coming back to it in the first place in high wind. Thanks, Ron. Love the kestrel shots of course.
Art, the attraction might have been his nearby buddy. He was with another male kestrel and they seemed to be the best of “friends”.