![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/american-kestrel-8114c-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-kestrel-8114c-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nI had a hard time deciding which modifying adjective to use in my title – flirtatious, demure, coy or alluring. With this pretty lady in this pose they all work for me.<\/p>\n
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1\/1250, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I’ve always been a sucker for over the shoulder looks from the ladies whether they be human or avian so when this female kestrel at Farmington Bay WMA gave me that look I was hooked. With most birds I’d prefer a little more light on the face but I have a catch light in the eye and I think this kind of lighting with this particular pose makes her seem a little more… mysterious. In my view the soft lighting on the bird and the mostly warm colors in the background add to the almost<\/em> romantic mood.<\/p>\n But when I analyze too carefully there seems to always be something to spoil my fantasies. In this case it’s the bird poop (whitewash) and blood stains dripping down the wooden post, neither of which fits the mood particularly well. Kestrels and other raptors use this post as a dining table and they often leave evidence of their visits behind.<\/p>\n No matter the mood evoked (or ruined) I like the photo very much.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On a (mostly) unrelated note: <\/em><\/p>\n PBS has come out with a new documentary in the Nature series called “The Serengeti Rules” that I finished watching last night. I highly recommend it. It follows the revolutionary discoveries of a group of pioneering research scientists whose work transformed our understanding of nature and ecology, leading to the concept that eventually came to be known as “keystone species<\/a>“. My degree is in biology and watching it opened my eyes so I suspect many of my readers will find it both interesting and enlightening.<\/em><\/p>\n And it gives us at least some hope in the possibility of eventually “restoring our damaged earth” so in the end I found watching it to be uplifting rather than depressing. Humans have been called “hyper keystone species” so we have the power to restore the balance to severely damaged ecosystems if only we will. Some positive developments in that arena have already been accomplished but obviously there’s much more to do.<\/em><\/p>\n And no, I’m not ignoring the elephant in the room, the climate crisis. But I do try to be hopeful when I can.<\/em><\/p>\n Here’s the link if you’re interested and choose to watch it online as I did: The Serengeti Rules<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I had a hard time deciding which modifying adjective to use in my title – flirtatious, demure, coy or alluring. With this pretty lady in this pose they all work for me.<\/p>\n