![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/american-kestrel-0086b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-kestrel-0086b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nToday’s post includes only a single image but it’s one I like very much.<\/p>\n
Some background first.\u00a0The following\u00a0photo was taken thirteen months ago at the pond where I used to photograph kingfishers. The tree over the pond is incredibly dense with branches and twigs\u00a0so birds of various species like to perch there but I very rarely have an unobstructed view of my subject. To have any chance of getting one I usually have to move my pickup at least a little to get a clear shot through the branches\u00a0and doing so typically flushes the bird. So normally I don’t move and my photos are less than stellar.\u00a0It’s extremely frustrating.<\/p>\n
But this\u00a0male kestrel pulled off a near-miracle.<\/p>\n
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1\/4000, f\/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Somehow he\u00a0found an open spot on a branch with a clear background and landed on it. And he stayed there for long enough that I was able to get a number of photos I like without having to take the chance of moving my pickup. With this many branches and twigs in the frame viewers who are familiar with my usual\u00a0tastes might think the image wouldn’t appeal to me much but I like it a lot, largely for two reasons.<\/p>\n Of course the dapper and beautiful little falcon is the star of the show but in my view without the natural framing and the fall background colors this would\u00a0be just another kestrel\u00a0photo and I like it significantly\u00a0better than that.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today’s post includes only a single image but it’s one I like very much.<\/p>\n\n