This little lady was unusually patient with me.
Yesterday morning I found this female American Kestrel perched in a Russian Olive tree near the Jordan River. I’m almost certain she’s a different female than the one I’ve been photographing lately with her mate. She was nearly 3/4 of a mile from the area where that pair hangs out (the two areas are separated by a freeway) and, unlike the kestrel pair who nearly always hang out together, she was all by herself. For a long time.
I like how the olive fruits are color coordinated with the bird.
She alternately spent her time hunting and grooming. Here she’s working on her left leg. I got lots of grooming shots but she usually had her eyes closed.
Then she did some stretching, here a tail spread with a vertical wing lift, and then…
she turned sideways to stretch her right wing downward with her tail fully flared and held at a 90° angle to her body. That’s gotta hurt.
Then she surprised me.
Larger falcons, like Peregrine Falcons and especially Prairie Falcons, often raise their wings up and hold them elevated for a few moments just before takeoff. That’s something I rarely, if ever, see kestrels do. But this one did.
Af first I thought she was stretching her wings again but she slowly raised them…
higher and higher and held them there for a few moments before…
taking off.
Her spindly perch provided little support so when she pushed against it with her feet it mostly bent backwards rather than pushing her forward. That slowed her takeoff down so…
in the next shot she had barely moved forward as her perch sprang back into its natural position. I got two more flight shots of her but you won’t be seeing them because they weren’t quite sharp enough.
She didn’t go far – only about 20′, to the top of another olive tree where she spooked (deliberately?) a flock of small birds that had been perched there. They sounded like starlings but I’m not sure all of them were.
She looked pretty proud of herself for asserting her dominance and scaring off all those birds.
She didn’t stay here long before flying off. I was hoping for more takeoff and flight shots I like but I guess she figured I had enough of those. When she took off she…
dived almost straight down behind her perch. Naturally there were tiny twigs right in front of her eye.
Photos #7 and #8 above are some of my favorite kestrel takeoff shots ever. I suffered to get those two photos because I had to keep her in my viewfinder, while holding a hair trigger on my shutter button with my body twisted in an uncomfortable position in my pickup, for a full 21 minutes before she took off. It seemed like an eternity.
It’s a gamble. Sometimes extended agony like that pays off and sometimes it doesn’t.
Ron
Fantastic!
This session was well worth your effort! What a lovely experience, except for the pain.
Glad you think so, Judy. Thanks.
She’s a beauty, and these images are wonderful — I’m partial to #6 because of her fully outstretched wings and fanned tail. And that look of insouciance on her face (it’s a kestrel thing, or so I think). But I am sorry to hear you’ve been suffering again (still) … wishing you relief so you can enjoy more time with your local birds! 😊
I think she’s a beauty too, Chris. She has some subtle markings that are a little different for a female.
Marvelous shots — all of them! So nice to see her in a natural, albeit invasive, surround too. I wish I had her stretching abilities, especially in my right shoulder.
I’m almost always surprised when I see a bird perch or land on such a tiny twig without bending it. I forget just how light they are!
I’m so sorry about your back, Ron. I hope you get some good answers soon and are able to find a non-surgical solution. 💕
Thank you, Marty. A non-surgical solution would be nice.
Beautiful photos, Ron! I love both the kestrel and the olive tree.
Thank you, Carol.
I felt like she was leading our exercise class, all those long stretches and head to toe bend. Thanks for saying right off you don’t think she’s the one you were seeing recently – that was my immediate question. I hope she’s got a mate in the background.
So sorry your back is giving you such fits – hope all those scans are producing useful info.
Carolyn, I’m pretty sure she’s not the same bird. Her markings are a little different too.
Love these shots of stretching and dive bombing ! Just fantastic. Makes me want to get off my couch and find a kestrel to observe !
Go for it, Jo. If you don’t go you won’t find one.
Oh geez-that’s life! Beautiful photos, thank you
Thanks, Laura.
Enjoyed the narrative that went along with all of the pictures! Well done – in spite of a hurting back. I cut a big Russian Olive tree down several years ago. It was such a mess!!! I probably destroyed the home – or playground – of many of my bird friends :((.
Thanks for the adventure – and take care of yourself!
Judy, like lots of folks, I have a love/hate relationship with Russian Olive trees.
Super series!!
Thanks, Burrdoo.
Love the series – especially the grooming shot and wing stretch! So sorry to hear about your back bothering you – good luck with PT 😊
Thanks, Kathleen. No PT yet but it may be down the road.
Wow Ron – dripping with envy – my favorite – our smallest
Falcon. Numbers 3 through 7 hard to decide what one I like
best, but if I was forced into a decision I would go with #3.
You really hit the jackpot with these. Great job.
PS – we continue to see falling number here in spite of the
efforts we take to provide nesting boxes etc
Thanks very much, Everett. Kestrels are declining here too, overall.
Loved the pictures!
Good. Thanks, Laurie.
I don’t know how birders describe it, but I love seeing the ‘angularity’ in birds’ wings. So many photos and paintings show them with wings extended as they soar or flap, and that must have imprinted itself as the way wings are when I was a kid. Seeing these various positions always is delightful.
I’m glad you included a mention of the Russian olives, too. I wondered immediately what kind of plant that was, and sure enough: it’s one I’ve never seen, at least with its fruit.
Shoreacres, Russian Olives are an invasive around here. Lots of birds like them but they cause problems too.
Thanks so much, Ron. I found myself growing calmer and calmer as I read down through your photos and story. Much needed in today’s world.
But, I have to ask, after yesterday’s “pickup yoga”, how’s your back doing?
“how’s your back doing?”
Not well, Nina and yesterday’s photographic “agony” has nothing to do with it. I’m currently in the midst of doctor appointments, CT scans and MRI’s.
Well, damn. Sorry to hear it. Hope all goes as well as possible.
WOW– she really put on a show for you– those shots with wings
raised and tail flared are spectacular, and I think the Russian olive
fruits are a piquant grace note to compliment a lovely little raptor !
Thanks, Kris. I’m glad you like them.
Oh Ron, these certainly paid off for you – and for us! Thanks so much! I’ve seen but never photographed Kestrels. So glad to see these shots.
Thank you, Noel. I hope you get an opportunity to photograph them soon.
Great sequence! Sometimes patience pays off.
And sometimes it doesn’t. Thanks, Brett.
Suffering for your art. And for that you got some beautiful and educational behavioral photos of a marvelous little falcon. And you shared them with us. #7 and #8 are a couple of gems, but I love them all. Than you!
“Suffering for your art.”
Me and Michaelangelo – the agony and the ecstasy. 🙂
Thanks, Michael.