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American Kestrel
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American Kestrel

by Ron Dudley

Gallery: AvianPosted March 29, 2010282 views23 comments
I posted another shot of this female in a very different pose (wing stretch) seven weeks ago. Here I like the dubious look she's giving me, as if she fully realizes the flaws in my character. The unusual looking straight-edged shadow on the underside of the tail is caused by the side of the vertical post. Background is a reddish colored hill about a quarter mile away, merging with sky. There's blood from previous meals on the sides of the post and frost on top of it.

7D, 1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, shot from pickup window on 2-8-10, cropped to 50% of original image, bird and perch selectively sharpened, no other processing, natural light, not baited

Comments/critique appreciated

Comments

23 comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on March 29, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Sweet light and great pose on this one Ron. All the colors in this image work so well together. That BG is a real stunner IMO. The sharpness and detail in the larger image is great and the colors on the bird are so nice in this light. I sure wish I could get a shot of this species. I mean any shots. I don't have a one in my files. Very well done.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Eric Diller on March 29, 2010 at 6:25 PM
Fantastic capture! everything is spot on!!

Darn birds always have to leave a poop trail on the pole :rolleyes:
Registered on October 2, 2009, 69 Posts, 434 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Moore on March 29, 2010 at 7:04 PM
Flawless shot in spite of your character flaws. It looks like she could scare away a flaw or two.
All parts complement each other.

Dan
Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments
Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 29, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Absolutely beautiful The suns glow with the bg makes it special :toast:
Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on March 29, 2010 at 8:45 PM
Oh man, I'd love to have a shot like this in my portfolio! Fantastic image in all respects Ron. :toast:
Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments
Comment posted by Keith Bauer on March 29, 2010 at 9:45 PM
Gotta love that light. I like the background with the graduated tans to blue. Perch is fine, but I'd get rid of the white wash. Lovely pose and as usual, great sharpness.
Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 29, 2010 at 10:06 PM
glad I don't know whatever it is that she knows about you, Ron! she seems rather suspicious. This is really beautiful--the detail is simply amazing and a great testament to the 7D. Wonderful light, wonderful pose, and the way the fluffed up wing coverts add texture on top of the detail is fantastic. I'm really drooling over this one. :toast: :toast:
Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 29, 2010 at 10:39 PM
I've been seeing Kestrels at the grasslands I've been visiting and they don't allow approach anywhere near this. Love the background
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Walters on March 29, 2010 at 11:20 PM
Great light and a very clean image! Like the orange and blues in the background.
Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments
Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 29, 2010 at 11:28 PM
We always come to expect only the best from you. But sometimes you surpass it.
Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Marella on March 29, 2010 at 11:33 PM
Great series, Ron. This one is fantastic!
Registered on November 1, 2003, 142 Posts, 862 Comments
Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 30, 2010 at 2:23 AM
Just wonderful Ron - the look, the depth, the background - fabulous.
Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 30, 2010 at 6:15 AM
Lovely light and detail Ron - like the coy glance it's giving you. I think it fancies you.

cheers
Rob
Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments
Comment posted by Joe Paratore on March 30, 2010 at 7:57 AM
Ron........ you sure have a way kestrels. another outstanding shot. Looks like
that post is his dinning room table.
Registered on January 31, 2007, 40 Posts, 160 Comments
Comment posted by Peter Conway on March 30, 2010 at 9:00 AM
I'm with Rob. Coy bordering on flirtatious. She likes you.

Beautiful image in all aspects!

Peter
Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments
Comment posted by Nancy Elwood on March 30, 2010 at 11:11 AM
Ron I am so jealous! I cannot even get a blur of this species. Absolutely lovely light! Big congrats!! :toast:
Registered on January 15, 2010, 101 Posts, 396 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 30, 2010 at 1:48 PM
She is looking very coyly at you Ron, perhaps she is wondering if she was showing you her best side in the best light, and she sure seems to be. Gorgeous background, details and the shadows sure give her an almost 3D appearance.

Delightfully appealing image SD.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Graham Brown on March 30, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Being a female it looks like a flirting pose! Perhaps that's why she poses so well for you. Another cracking Kestrel image Ron you're 7D is working very well whereas I'm about to throw mine and it's focusing problems into the nearest river shortly unless Canon can eventually fix it. Lovely light and background colours make this a beautiful image. Graham
Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 30, 2010 at 8:57 PM
Simply gorgeous! Wonderful light and colors; nice details.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 31, 2010 at 12:26 AM
I love the pose here, Ron. It gives a very intimate feel to the image. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on March 31, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Gorgeous background, interesting pose, making for one great image.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Lotito on March 31, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Simply fantastic! :toast:
Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Harbour on March 31, 2010 at 9:21 PM
Beautiful colors, captivating pose.
Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments