![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/american-kestrel-5369-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-kestrel-5369-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nI’m a big fan of hoarfrost in my bird photos, especially when the bird is as colorful and beautiful as the male American Kestrel.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n This guy was perched on an old sunflower stalk as he took a break from hunting on a very cold morning at Farmington Bay WMA. The entire refuge was covered with snow and a thick layer of hoarfrost so almost everything I could see was monochromatic white. In such a setting birds tend to really stand out, male kestrels more than most.<\/p>\n For bird photographers shooting from vehicles one disadvantage of fresh snow when it’s very cold is the sound of tires crunching in the snow. That noise often flushes birds before we can get close. Even though birds tend to be much “stickier” in extreme cold like this that’s far from a hard and fast rule so I was delighted when he allowed me a close approach and then posed for me in good light.<\/p>\n The event was even more memorable for me because this was one of the very first times I managed to capture high quality photos of an American Kestrel. This shot was taken almost exactly twelve years ago, on January 14, 2008. I posted a similar image of him many years ago but this one is new to my blog.<\/p>\n Last night we had several inches of fluffy white snow so I’d love to return to Farmington this morning in pursuit of birds. Even though it’s cloudy the reflective qualities of snow can compensate for low light and I’ll bet the refuge is nothing short of beautiful. Yet another attraction of being there right after fresh snow has fallen is the lack of crowds and traffic.<\/p>\n But wouldn’t you know it, I have an appointment later this morning so there’ll be no birds in a snowy setting for me.<\/p>\n Sometimes life just gets in the way of… life.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Addendum:<\/em><\/p>\n Kathy, here’s a vertical composition of the same image as per your request. I didn’t post it vertically in the original post because in order to keep the frosted twig at left completely in the frame the bird has to be centered in the composition.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’m a big fan of hoarfrost in my bird photos, especially when the bird is as colorful and beautiful as the male American Kestrel.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/american-kestrel-5369-vertical-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-kestrel-5369-vertical-ron-dudley\\"")
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