Kestrel

[ronwoodcraft]

This is an American Kestrel, a small falcon about the size of a Mourning Dove.
Yesterday was a very rare time when one didn't fly away when I stopped along a rural gravel road. He stayed long enough to let me get a picture. Too bad he wasn't on an old fence post, rather than a dang power line.

 

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[boogeyman]

This is an American Kestrel, a small falcon about the size of a Mourning Dove.
Yesterday was a very rare time when one didn't fly away when I stopped along a rural gravel road. He stayed long enough to let me get a picture. Too bad he wasn't on an old fence post, rather than a dang power line.

Cool little guys, still a good picture!!!

Now, I've gotta be the one to start the debate. How does the little guy sit on the power line & not get fried Uncle Ron??


Just had to...........

 

[worldtalker]

Nice shot Ron!I see one of the Eagles flying around this morning down the meadows,no luck with the shutter though.I asked my Wife if She would like to go down there for a walk later today.."let's go now" says She.

GOD Bless

Chris

 

[ronwoodcraft]

Cool little guys, still a good picture!!!

Now, I've gotta be the one to start the debate. How does the little guy sit on the power line & not get fried Uncle Ron??




Just had to...........

I'm not the one to ask about electricity. I once welded a pair of pliers together working on a 220 powered electric stove. Thankful for plastic handles or I might not be here now. As far as the birds, I think it's because they are off the ground. Think they would have to touch the wire and the ground at the same time.

 

[boogeyman]

I'm not the one to ask about electricity. I once welded a pair of pliers together working on a 220 powered electric stove. Thankful for plastic handles or I might not be here now. As far as the birds, I think it's because they are off the ground. Think they would have to touch the wire and the ground at the same time.

Right. As long as they don't hit something that'll short em to ground they're OK. Just being a smart alek. We both know someone was gonna ask & I wanted to be first.

Still got a scar on my butt from sitting down on a 220 line. Quick tip from the dummys handbook. Screwdriver too long? Just touch it to a 440 lead until it's short enough. Welded my wedding ring to one of those 3' long screwdrivers and shortened it up by about 2". Took it as an omen, and got divorced 7 months later!

 

[ronwoodcraft]

Right. As long as they don't hit something that'll short em to ground they're OK. Just being a smart alek. We both know someone was gonna ask & I wanted to be first.

Still got a scar on my butt from sitting down on a 220 line. Quick tip from the dummys handbook. Screwdriver too long? Just touch it to a 440 lead until it's short enough. Welded my wedding ring to one of those 3' long screwdrivers and shortened it up by about 2". Took it as an omen, and got divorced 7 months later!

 

[old digger]

Cute little fella, wish we had a few around here to the sparrows in check.

 

[RGINN]

Cool. We called them sparrow hawks, which is a common name, and could apply to more than one species. Look around next time you see this one. I've seen this type before and without fail there is always two. Could be through the winter they separate up and don't pair up again until spring.

 

[tamrock]

I've been looking for a good chance to get a good shot of those little buggers for a while now. They're awesome when they hover in mid-air. I did once get up on one even with the dogs that allowed me to hit the shutter 4 times on him. I didn't post him because he had branches in the way and the best shot I thought he had his beak against the branch and that's when he had enough of me and left : (. The other two shots were dark and unfocused. Here's the two I thought were okay after reviewing them again. I will get a outstanding shot of one of these little guys sometime as they're always out in the field behind me. That is if they sit still long enough in perfect lighting and no obstructions in the way. I'd really love to get a shot of them in their mid-air hovering action.

 

[tamrock]

Cool. We called them sparrow hawks, which is a common name, and could apply to more than one species. Look around next time you see this one. I've seen this type before and without fail there is always two. Could be through the winter they separate up and don't pair up again until spring.

sparrow hawk is the name they have in Iowa also, though I see them eating more field mice and grass hoppers. I've never seen them go after any sparrow's, but when their around the sparrows will bug out real fast and warn all the other sparrows that sneaky little falcon looking thing is in the area.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Great pic, as usual, Ron. I had an old tree here for many years, and there was a sparrow hawk nesting in it every year, for almost 40 years. There was usually 3 or 4 chicks there every year. I was saddened when it finally got blown over during the winter, because I lost the hawk nest. That was 2 years ago. But last spring I had a pair of Swainson hawks move in and nest...producing 4 chicks. BIG hawks, but the male actually got really friendly and would scream at me every time I came out. He would also divebomb me, coming within inches of my head,. even when I was a couple hundred yards from the nest tree. I'm looking forward to their return.
Jim

 

[ronwoodcraft]

Great pic, as usual, Ron. I had an old tree here for many years, and there was a sparrow hawk nesting in it every year, for almost 40 years. There was usually 3 or 4 chicks there every year. I was saddened when it finally got blown over during the winter, because I lost the hawk nest. That was 2 years ago. But last spring I had a pair of Swainson hawks move in and nest...producing 4 chicks. BIG hawks, but the male actually got really friendly and would scream at me every time I came out. He would also divebomb me, coming within inches of my head,. even when I was a couple hundred yards from the nest tree. I'm looking forward to their return.
Jim

Thanks Jim, Enjoyed that., but a shame about losing the nesting tree.
That would be awesome to have them that close, and to have them get used to you. The ones I usually see wont let me get close enough for a picture. I've followed them along a power line paralleling a gravel road for a half mile a hundred feet at a time. They will fly down the wire a ways and I will follow. Right when I stop off they go again a little further down the wire.

 

[ronwoodcraft]

I've been looking for a good chance to get a good shot of those little buggers for a while now. They're awesome when they hover in mid-air. I did once get up on one even with the dogs that allowed me to hit the shutter 4 times on him. I didn't post him because he had branches in the way and the best shot I thought he had his beak against the branch and that's when he had enough of me and left : (. The other two shots were dark and unfocused. Here's the two I thought were okay after reviewing them again. I will get a outstanding shot of one of these little guys sometime as they're always out in the field behind me. That is if they sit still long enough in perfect lighting and no obstructions in the way. I'd really love to get a shot of them in their mid-air hovering action.

Hey Grant, Those are pretty good. They are one of my favorite birds, and seem to be a lot of them in open areas, but for me, one of the most difficult to get a picture of. I would love to get one of those hovering shots too.

 

[boogeyman]

Thanks Jim, Enjoyed that., but a shame about losing the nesting tree.
That would be awesome to have them that close, and to have them get used to you. The ones I usually see wont let me get close enough for a picture. I've followed them along a power line paralleling a gravel road for a half mile a hundred feet at a time. They will fly down the wire a ways and I will follow. Right when I stop off they go again a little further down the wire.

When this happens, I always get this feeling they're telling all their friends "Hey! Look at I can make the human do!"

We've got a pair that hang around off & on. You can tell if they're in the neighborhood when all the pigeons disappear for a day or so.

 

[Old Dude]

Yes, a weathered old fence post would have made a perfect picture, but you know what? I like the one you got too! Beautiful as always. Don't know if I have told you before, but thanks for inspiring me to carry my camera a little more often lately. You have a God-given talent.