Tag: american kestrel
Back-To-Back American Kestrels – Male And Female With Prey
I got relatively close to two kestrels, a male and a female, both with prey, within four minutes. Miracles do happen…
American Kestrels As Reptile Hunters
Female Kestrel In Flight And Casting A Pellet
This female American Kestrel is the apparent mate to the male I posted two days ago.
Kestrel – You Never Know When You’ll Get A Nice Flight Shot (or 2)
Occasionally a situation with low potential can unexpectedly result in a nice flight shot, or even two.
Kestrel Cleaning And Honing Its Beak (and the importance of beak care)
Both wild raptors and those who care for captive birds must pay particular attention to beak health.
Kestrels Perch In The Oddest Places
American Kestrels are primarily perch-hunters and they’re quite flexible in their choice of perches.
Birds In A Christmas Morning Snowstorm
It’s been my Christmas tradition for years to spend part of the morning photographing birds. I usually have the place (wherever it might be) mostly to myself and personally I find communing with nature on Christmas morning to be quite appropriate and fulfilling. And yesterday’s snowstorm was pure delight.
The Function of Ocelli (false eyes) In Raptors
Some falcons, hawks and owls have two ocelli (eye-like patches or “false eyes”) on the back of their head. Their function may not be as presumed.
Southwest Montana Kestrels – A Status Update
American Kestrels have long been North America’s most abundant bird of prey but over recent decades their numbers have declined precipitously. For that reason I pay particular notice to kestrel numbers when I return to the same area year after year and because I spend so much time in southwest Montana that region is near the top of my “kestrel watching” areas.
Magpies Scavenging Entrails Rejected By Raptors
On my last Montana trip I think I figured out part of the reason why Black-billed Magpies often perch high on power poles in some areas. I’m sure this apparent behavior is known to others but it was something new for me.
A Kestrel, A Mouse And The Potential Demise Of Farmington Bay WMA
Yesterday’s post of the Barn Owl with a mouse (instead of a vole) reminded me of this American Kestrel with another mouse, also at Farmington WMA. I’m wondering if mice have now largely replaced microtine voles at Farmington and if that’s not a harbinger of even worse things to come..
Male American Kestrel In A Pastel Setting
I haven’t been able to get close to many male American Kestrels recently but at least I’m seeing a few of them now. They were alarmingly scarce all summer.
Red-tailed Hawk Sucker-punched By A Kestrel
Yesterday I photographed an attack by an American Kestrel on an adult Red-tailed Hawk. What made it unusual was the fact that the hawk didn’t see the kestrel coming, so its reaction to being thumped on the head was, well… amusing.
A Resourceful Kestrel And An Unfortunate Pipit In The Snow
Nine days ago at Farmington Bay the weather and the light were uncooperative but this female American Kestrel more than made up for it.
(Note: I needed twelve images to tell this story so don’t be surprised if this post takes longer than usual to load.)
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Back-To-Back American Kestrels – Male And Female With Prey
I got relatively close to two kestrels, a male and a female, both with prey, within four minutes. Miracles do happen…
American Kestrels As Reptile Hunters
Female Kestrel In Flight And Casting A Pellet
This female American Kestrel is the apparent mate to the male I posted two days ago.
Kestrel – You Never Know When You’ll Get A Nice Flight Shot (or 2)
Occasionally a situation with low potential can unexpectedly result in a nice flight shot, or even two.
Kestrel Cleaning And Honing Its Beak (and the importance of beak care)
Both wild raptors and those who care for captive birds must pay particular attention to beak health.
Kestrels Perch In The Oddest Places
American Kestrels are primarily perch-hunters and they’re quite flexible in their choice of perches.
Birds In A Christmas Morning Snowstorm
It’s been my Christmas tradition for years to spend part of the morning photographing birds. I usually have the place (wherever it might be) mostly to myself and personally I find communing with nature on Christmas morning to be quite appropriate and fulfilling. And yesterday’s snowstorm was pure delight.
The Function of Ocelli (false eyes) In Raptors
Some falcons, hawks and owls have two ocelli (eye-like patches or “false eyes”) on the back of their head. Their function may not be as presumed.
Southwest Montana Kestrels – A Status Update
American Kestrels have long been North America’s most abundant bird of prey but over recent decades their numbers have declined precipitously. For that reason I pay particular notice to kestrel numbers when I return to the same area year after year and because I spend so much time in southwest Montana that region is near the top of my “kestrel watching” areas.
Magpies Scavenging Entrails Rejected By Raptors
On my last Montana trip I think I figured out part of the reason why Black-billed Magpies often perch high on power poles in some areas. I’m sure this apparent behavior is known to others but it was something new for me.
A Kestrel, A Mouse And The Potential Demise Of Farmington Bay WMA
Yesterday’s post of the Barn Owl with a mouse (instead of a vole) reminded me of this American Kestrel with another mouse, also at Farmington WMA. I’m wondering if mice have now largely replaced microtine voles at Farmington and if that’s not a harbinger of even worse things to come..
Male American Kestrel In A Pastel Setting
I haven’t been able to get close to many male American Kestrels recently but at least I’m seeing a few of them now. They were alarmingly scarce all summer.
Red-tailed Hawk Sucker-punched By A Kestrel
Yesterday I photographed an attack by an American Kestrel on an adult Red-tailed Hawk. What made it unusual was the fact that the hawk didn’t see the kestrel coming, so its reaction to being thumped on the head was, well… amusing.
A Resourceful Kestrel And An Unfortunate Pipit In The Snow
Nine days ago at Farmington Bay the weather and the light were uncooperative but this female American Kestrel more than made up for it.
(Note: I needed twelve images to tell this story so don’t be surprised if this post takes longer than usual to load.)