Common Kestrel

[Bibhav Behera]

I found this cute Kestrel in Hesarghatta. It was calmly perched on a bush, when something caught its attention and it flew to the ground at the base of a shrub. I decided to approach it closer and got out of my car. Slowly in a prone position I crawled closer to around 7 feet with the sun behind my back and me making a move when it looked the other way or was busy digging for a worm. The camo clothing helped. At one point I realised that my camera was not able to get focus of the bird. As I looked out of the viewfinder, I realised I was around 4 feet from it, both on the ground. I put down my camera and enjoy my upclose moment with this beauty for a few more seconds. It flew!!!


Canon EOS 7D, 420mm
SS 1/1250 (+0.3)
f/7.1
ISO 400

Full Frame image. Comments and critiques welcome.

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Nice image. Its a female. Nice perch and pose. I liked your write-up.

Amano Samarpan has written that ' it has the ability to see a different colour spectrum that highlights the urine of its prey and so helps in locating it'.

Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Neatly done Bibhav. nice eye contact and pose.

thanks for the interesting piece of information shakti sab.

TFS
Roopak

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice closeup. Good to know you could go so close. Fine composition and sharpness. Nicely captured. Thanks for sharing.

[Sucheth Lingachar]

Beautifully done..... liked the color....

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

Lovely. I like this image a lot. No nits and a real winner.
Getting as close as 4 feet is unbelievable and truly commendable. You should write a book on bird stalking :D ;).
TFS

[Anand Madabhushi]

Excellent composition.