Kes

I can't remember how old  I was (probably around 10 or 11 I think) when I first saw Ken Loach's movie following the life of young Billy Casper and his experiences with falconry. I was really moved by the film and (spoiler) I think I even cried when Billy discovered Kes' fate at the hands of his thuggish older brother Jud. I later read the book on which the film was based (A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines) and I fell in love with the idea of owning a kestrel myself. 

I never realised that dream but my love for birds of prey has never diminished. I always get a thrill when I see Buzzards soaring or Kestrels hovering near the roadside, I get excited when driving through Wales and see the beautiful Red Kites and invariably I get frustrated that I can't stop to capture shots of these amazing birds. 

I know it isn't quite the same photographing captive birds but visiting bird sanctuaries does provide an opportunity to get up close and really appreciate the beauty of these creatures.

Today's shots are of a really lovely female Kestrel and I think you can see why I love them so much. I love the rich brown tones (I had to check that they are brown ha ha) and the patterns on its feathers, I like the intensity of its glossy black eyes and I like how even though they look so delicate these are really powerful birds, fast and agile they are just beautiful.