Hello!
Was very lucky yesterday to see a pair of kestrels sitting together on a branch at Venus Pool. I have never seen male & female together like it! Do they stay together year round? Or could they be siblings? They were getting rocked about a fair bit with the winds yesterday!!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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WOW!!! What a capture, I can't tell you just how green I've turned here. To use one of your words, its a Stonking photo.
Thanks for this! :-0
John :-)
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
Sorry now that I've got my breath back, wow, THey are solitary birds really and you only (obviously not) see them together in courtship! Maybe the wind put them together by chance approaching the branch from opposite directions. The surprise on their face may be with each other as well as you. On the other hand maybe they don't care much for the rules and like each others company.
Whatever is true, its a very cool shot! a card shot in my mind well done.
Wow! Lucky you to have seen them and what a great photo. You can almost feel the wind blowing. The closest I get to kestrels is seeing them hover over road verges as I drive by. I hope I get to visit this Venus Pool someday. Sounds like quite a place!
There is something new to learn everyday...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylark58/
Brilliant capture. Extremely well done to get them in focus considering the wind.
Don't know how I 'suggested this as an answer' .......... just happened when I posted my praise for the shot!!!!
What a cracking photo MarJus. I just love the way they are carefully not looking at each other, on the lines of "I do not see you, therefore you are not there..."
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Hi MarJus
Lovely lovely shot - never seen one that close up before. It's a double stonker for me!
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Lovely shot!
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Thanks everyone! I was very pleased to see this let alone capture it!
John - they sat together for over 5 mins and seemed quite at ease with one another which is why I wondered about them being siblings? The female eventually flew off to hunt and the male stayed for a long time! He then went down and caught a vole we think, which he took back up to the branch to eat (got pics but too dark...). Then he went down to the ground again, but I couldn't see what he had!
He then flew back up and stayed perched again for a long time! Never had such good sightings of kestrels!!
Nisus - yes that's Jim Almond's site! Absolutely superb photos he takes!! He was there Sunday so no doubt he will soon post pics which will be far superior to mine!! Lol!!
Marjus, I just had to congratulate you on capturing that photograph of the TWO kestrels. I am so jealous.
Thank you Brenda! :-)
I think you must be right, family is the most likely! but what a great shot. Your friend at the pool will do well to beat that. there is a real soft quality about it, It is BRILLIANT. I am still green all over!