I have spent nearly a month setting up this shot. He is very confiding and I can get to within a 10m radius of him. I feel very privileged. I post a link to the large file, as it's better viewed at large size.
http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/d/4561-1/Australian-Kestrel_8902.jpg
Ah, almost linked the whole image. :) A bit only missing on the right....
Wow Akos, that is absolutely brilliant! Such wonderful detail and the perfect pose with all his feathers fluffed... just superb. I love the way he has the matching yellow detail almost as if someone painted it to look just right. :)
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Thank you kindly Birdie. They are rather pretty when you look at them up close. He is very handsome. My new buddy! LOL! We'll see how many more sessions I can have with him. I saw him again before dusk (sans camera) tonight and I walked up to him and just talked gently, had a little chat. Well you know what I mean. Then after about ten minutes, I walked away. He was still sitting there preening. I just wanted to make sure he sees me as NO threat! :)
I'll second that birdie, your patience paid off Akos with the reward of a truly superb shot andwhat I imagine has been an amazing experience.Thanks for sharing.
Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best
And I completely understand you chatting with him ! I try that with my catbirds all the time but they just keep going tsk tsk and hide behind the leaves! tonight I sat really still at Mozzie hour while they and the drongos played cat and mouse with me till the light failed completely. I tried one fill flash shot of the catbird....backside first unfortunately! Still it would work at that time and at least I know that now!
Sunshine Coast Queensland
I was back again this morning and he let me get to within about 5m of him. I watched him catch a mole cricket, I followed him along the fence line, took a few shots, then he came back to this perch. He then held the cricket, bit it in half and took it to the nest about 100 meters away. Then he flew straight back to the perch. I took around 500 shots in an hour and have him preening, yawning, ejecting three pellets, scratching, and just looking gorgeous. :) I will share some more images in due course. I even have full frame head and shoulders portraits. I am so amazed as most raptors, including this species are quite shy of humans!
I can't put it into words Windhover, looking at the beautiful bird, and the way you describe the experience, I can almost feel it. It touches that spot in my tummy, that brings tears to my eyes. (you know what I'm talking about?) Can't wait to see more photos, thanks!!
M-L
Sounds totally wonderful Akos. Like Araminta, I feel as if I am sharing the moment with you. Can't wait to see more shots of this beautiful fellow.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Sounds totally wonderful Akos. Like Araminta, I feel as if I am sharing the moment with you. Can't wait to see more shots of this beautiful fellow.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
I will try to process a couple tonight. I took nearly 500 images this morning. Very addictive I tell ya. :)
WOW, excellent image and the details of your experience and your time spent with it are great to read, I have some Rainbow bee-eaters very close to the house but as soon as I open the back door they fly away.
Jeanne
Brisbane QLD
Wonderful photo. The only down side is that your avatar looks even better.
That is an astonishingly beautiful portrait, the best I have seen. Congrats and I am looking forward to seeing more