I saw the falcon in flight but didn't see where it landed. Fortunately someone else did see it, and the blue jays that were trying to make life difficult for it. The kestrel flew a couple seconds later.

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Day 349/365
Flickr Lounge: Photographer's Choice

I returned to the spot where I found the kestrel a few weeks ago (and where my subsequent visits found a hunting red-tailed hawk and then a flying bald eagle) and I was rewarded by several views of this falcon. This one was the best, though I was quite a distance from it. After taking several shots, I wanted to see if I could get a bit closer . . . but my hat blew off and hid my face for a few seconds, and when I secured it, the kestrel was gone and I didn't know where it went. (I did see it again perhaps 20 minutes later, and got a few more shots of it.) I will definitely be checking out this field again. This species has long eluded me for really good shots.

Here I could have cropped closer, but I like including the view of the field where it is hunting; it's just a small bird in a large field. This one is a male. Kestrels are one of the few local raptors (just two species that I can think of) in which the sexes can be told apart by coloring.

Tags:   365: the 2022 edition 365:2022 Day 349/365 15-Dec-22 kestrel American kestrel raptor bird

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Tags:   kestrel American kestrel raptor bird

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Tags:   American kestrel kestrel sparrow hawk falcon raptor bird

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Day 321/365
ODC: against the sky
Flickr Lounge: a photo walk

This species has mostly eluded me for good shots. I was thrilled to see this one today, though with a very low light situation and no catchlight.

Tags:   365: the 2022 edition 365:2022 Day 321/365 17-Nov-22 kestrel American kestrel raptor falcon bird

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