Right Place, Right Time

 Unless you are working in a studio or a prepared set of some kind a great deal of success in photography is about being in the right place at the right time. Of course you won't know what you have missed if you don't see it but there have been many times when I have been in the right place but I haven't been ready or I have just seen the bird I wanted to photograph fly away as I arrived or got set up. Imagine the frustration of arriving at a hide to be told by another photographer that a kingfisher has been about and seeing the fantastic images he has captured and then sitting for an hour or so afterwards and seeing nothing.

Last October I went down to Cornwall for a short break, I was mostly prepared to photograph the landscape and some sunsets. I was not expecting to do any wildlife photography, because it was short break I knew I wouldn't have the time to sit for a long time staking out my prey as it were.

On the last day of my trip I was visiting St Ives and after a spell sitting on the beach and paddling in the cold sea I went in search of a place to eat. I was walking around a small headland and got talking to a guy from Lancashire who was watching some birds on the rocks, they were Rock Pipits and he was excited because he had never seen them before. At this point in time my camera was packed away, food not photography was on my mind. As I left him to the pipits I walked around the path and spotted a small group of people with their mobile phones held high as they tried to photograph a kestrel that was hovering just above the path. I have rarely seen a wild kestrel so close and at first I just watched and then realised I was missing an opportunity. I got my camera out and started shooting before realising that the settings were all wrong. I soon rectified that and then gradually approached closer and closer to get what I think are some amazing shots. This chance encounter was certainly a case of being in the right place at the right time. I was buzzing, not just because I knew I had got some good photos but because being so close to this beautiful bird was a real treat and an experience I won't forget.

As an aside, you will know that kestrels and other birds of prey have exceptional vision, they can spot their prey from tiny movements from height and then approach almost silently before going in for the kill. But, did you know that they also have the ability to see in the ultraviolet spectrum and this allows them to see the urine/scent trails of mice and small rodents which reflect UV light and leave what can be described as a "glow trail" this can lead the kestrel to its prey by following the trail even if the mouse is hidden.

Anyway here are some of the shots I captured that evening, you can see from the first 2 images how close it was to the path.

Poised for the Kill

I know these aren't the greatest shots of (what I believe is a female kestrel); I can blame the poor light, or the cold wind, or the fact that the bird was moving and that it was quite a long way off. However I really like these images, really like them. 

I love the layers of light and the way the little light there is brightens up the plumage. I love the form of the bird as it hovers searching for its next meal.

I watched for some time and three times it plummeted down but each time coming up "empty-handed" before moving on to another patch of ground where from a different vantage point I later saw it devouring its prey

Cool Kestrel

Hopefully you saw the pictures I posted a couple of weeks ago of this beautiful kestrel at Brockholes reserve. Today I have chosen to post a few more shots of the same bird, firstly perched on top of a post that he had visited for food and the other two as he sat at the top of a wicker arch surveying the landscape. He was acutely aware of my presence but as long as I didn't approach too close or too quickly he was quite content to sit and pose for me.

All Day Breakfast

A few weeks ago I shared a series of photos taken at an owl and bird of prey sanctuary and while it was a thrill to see so many beautiful birds of prey up close it cannot match the thrill of seeing one of these birds close up in the wild.

Today was my first chance to get out with my camera for a while and I was hoping for some good photo opportunities. I went to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserve at Brockholes near Preston. 

Top of my list of species I hoped to see was the Kestrel and so I was really excited to see this male Kestrel as I pulled into the car park. The bird in all four pictures is the same one, the first image though was taken at the start of the day when it was very dull, the other shots were taken about an hour later when the bird was tempted back by a handful of tasty mealworms put out by another visitor.

As you can see from the second shot he didn't waste any time at all snatching his first mouthful before he had even settled on the post and then in the third shot that expression seems to say "stay back, these worms are mine!"

These pictures were shot at 300mm (or thereabouts) but with fairly low shutter speeds and high ISO because of the poor light meaning they are a little grainy. I was able to get really close though so I haven't needed to crop these pictures at all.

Kestrel

You may remember (if you saw it that is) that in a recent post I spoke about how I had watched the film and read the book Kes which inspired my love of birds of prey. On that occasion I shared some pictures of a beautiful female kestrel and so today here are a couple of shots of a young male kestrel.

It is a small yet powerful bird but hunched up on its perch it looks quite timid. Close up though you can see its piercing eyes and vicious looking beak. 

I just love these little birds and I love to see them hovering along the roadside or hedgerows while hunting for their prey.

Visiting a bird of prey centre once I was told that kestrels (and possibly other birds I don't remember) are able to track prey, such as mice, through the grass by being able to detect the trail of urine that mice leave behind. How's that for an interesting fact of the day.

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.

Watching and Waiting

I was supposed to be down in the New Forest this evening starting a short camping holiday and so I was expecting to post some shots of the forest using my phone but sadly my plans have changed and my holiday has had to be cancelled so I am sharing another shot taken on Saturday of this beautiful fledgling kestrel that was hiding in the foliage watching everything in the garden very intently.

To be honest I feel pretty rotten today but looking at this gorgeous bird my spirits have lifted somewhat. I hope that it will give you a lift too.

Flowers and Flying Things

Just after lunch I announced that I would be going out to the walled garden at Royden Park as I needed some new pictures for my blog. It was really hot and sunny and I thought I would get some nice close up shots of flowers. What I didn't expect was to see some fledgling Kestrels taking their first foray into the big wide world.

I had heard some screeching in the background and thought I would check it out, then while I was taking a picture of a lovely flower a young girl timidly approached and said that she had seen a kestrel in the tree and pointed me in the right direction. 

It wasn't one but three young kestrels two of which you can see in the shots above. They are so beautiful and it was a genuine thrill and a privilege to see them up close like this.

Kestrel

This is an adult male Kestrel, it was perched on top of a tree surveying the area for prey. 

I love birds of prey and since I was small Kestrels have always been a special bird for me. I loved the story/movie Kes and for a long time I would imagine having my own Kestrel, perhaps one that I raised from a chick. I have always loved to see them hovering along the side of the road or above the hedgerows with such grace.

They are fairly small and delicate looking and in this shot you can see what looks like a mayfly just above its head, that and the buds at the ends of the branches give a sense of scale.

Not long after this shot was taken the bird was disturbed by some kids running by and it flew off but I had really enjoyed watching him at fairly close quarters.