American Kestrel On The Wire
This my first capture of an American Kestrel, and this fellow didn't make it easy on me. He was perching on the power lines and power poles surrounding this large field that I entered to photograph an Eastern Phoebe. I heard this strange squeaky little call which sounded like a dog's chew toy. I spotted the source of the sound on the other side of the field. I used my telephoto and discovered that the sound was coming from an American Kestrel. I started to dash across the field, which was no small feat because the field is filled with Florida Sandspurs. Thank goodness I had my heavy Cardhartt pants. By the time I was in range for the shot it flew off to the opposite side of the field. We played this little game two more times and I finally managed to get three quick snaps before he left the area completely. I was so thrilled with having an image in the camera I didn't notice I had Sandspurs covering most of my lower pants legs. Fortunately, none of the Sandspurs broke skin, but I spent about 20 minutes, and surgical forceps to remove the nuisance spurs from my shoes, shoelaces and pants legs.
American Kestrel On The Wire
This my first capture of an American Kestrel, and this fellow didn't make it easy on me. He was perching on the power lines and power poles surrounding this large field that I entered to photograph an Eastern Phoebe. I heard this strange squeaky little call which sounded like a dog's chew toy. I spotted the source of the sound on the other side of the field. I used my telephoto and discovered that the sound was coming from an American Kestrel. I started to dash across the field, which was no small feat because the field is filled with Florida Sandspurs. Thank goodness I had my heavy Cardhartt pants. By the time I was in range for the shot it flew off to the opposite side of the field. We played this little game two more times and I finally managed to get three quick snaps before he left the area completely. I was so thrilled with having an image in the camera I didn't notice I had Sandspurs covering most of my lower pants legs. Fortunately, none of the Sandspurs broke skin, but I spent about 20 minutes, and surgical forceps to remove the nuisance spurs from my shoes, shoelaces and pants legs.