Male American Kestrel hovering – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited, no decoy
Hovering Kestrel shots aren’t easy to capture without baiting or using decoys, part of that is because I can’t tell when a kestrel might get it in its mind to hover for prey, the other part is being in the right place at the right time. I can’t even remember how many times I have seen kestrels hovering that were too far away or hovering right over me in really horrendous light or how many times they are hovering close by but facing the wrong way. Seeing them hover and being unable to get the images is very frustrating.
Hovering American Kestrel – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited, no decoy
I photographed this male American Kestrel hovering while on the causeway leaving Antelope Island and I was able to get images with light in the birds eyes in fairly decent light but I still hope I can get images like this with some clouds in the sky and a little bit closer. I do think these images show the great poses of a hovering kestrel and how handsome our smallest kestrel in North America is.
It seems that I don’t just have “nemesis birds”, I also have “nemesis dream shots” too.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Kestrel photos plus facts and information about this species.
Thanks to all of you who commented on this post and the images. I sincerely appreciate each one.
Excellent photos, Mia! He is so beautiful!
I agree I could also live in a field and be happy. Great images!
These are wonderful Mia! I see one hovering over the vacant lot behind our house regularly, likely looking for the voles that invade our back yard. I am inspired to try photographing it and I must visit Antrlope Island sometime soon. Thanks again for sharing your nice work and informative posts.
This is also one of my “nemesis dream shots”! Fantastic photographs, Mia! I’m not jealous, just happy to see that it can be done! Very nice work!
This is SUCH a gorgeous bird. Heart-stopping beauty. Thank you.
ahhh woow, it s magic !! what a nice move captured, i like it
thanks mia ☺
Wonderful, Mia! I didn’t even know kestrels hovered at all! Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful!
Smallest falcon in North America; only kestrel. Great images – on Friday I had a chance to show a friend what a hovering kestrel looks like, but our views were nothing like yours. The highlight for me however was holding the kestrel chick moments (not days or hours!) after it had been born. It was still wet and stuck to the shell.
Wow, stunning photographs! These fantastic images certainly show off the beautiful kestrel plumage.
Amazing photos Mia !
Thank you John.
You obviously were in the right place at the right time!
As you know, studying, being outside a ton, and patience not baiting, is key!
Excellent images, many thanks for sharing.
Thanks Dick, baiting is against my ethics so I spend a lot of time in the field getting these types of images. I should live in the field not in a house!