18th July 2010 - Wild Kestrels at The Hawk Conservancy Trust

The kestrels from the nest box by the hide are still showing well, and beginning to find their own food.

This branch still offers a good perch, and with the earlier morning light offers reasonable images. 

The juveniles are all out and about, as was the adult male- but I don't seem to have got the female at all...

I will try to update with some of the non-wild images from the day, when I have gone through all the files in lightroom.  I had been pleased with the above from the back screen, and am glad they didn't come out too badly!

11th July 2010 - Poole Seafront

As part of our "planning for the future" we took a walk around Poole, and a selection of local housing.  It is interesting to see a different area, but we would miss some of the 'known nesting sites' we have discovered in recent months.

A few images taken from along the seafront; the light was harsh yet the sky failed to be the pure rich blue I would have preferred as a result!

Many house sparrows (above) and starlings were constantly patrolling the seafront, clearing up what we leave behind.

These terns were out and about fishing off the coast, but without the background I would have preferred.  Always next time, back down to Southsea with the Sandwich Terns!

9th July 2010 - Back to the Kestrels

We returned to this site, since there was not a cloud in sight, the sky was a rich blue, and we hoped for a breath of fresh sea air.

I think the pigeons were enjoying the camera attention.  (note the leg ring on the left bird)

At one point three birds were visible in the nest, although a fourth was flying nearby.

This has to be my favourite image from the night- which I shall be getting through the printer this weekend.  Certainly worth the fairly quiet evening for the series this was part of; and the sibling retained the bemused expression for some time and couldn't seem to work out where his sister (?) had flown to.

By the time we left the warming sunlight was fading, but at last one bird did return, and took a brief moment to pose before retiring for the night.

6th July 2010 - Another local site - Kestrel Nest

Another of our gentle local walks was taken, where a very pleasant couple pointed out the specific location of some resident kestrels as we passed.  We had been setup for the architecture and perhaps staying on until the sun set, so were less than ideally set for gear.  Despite this, a few records shots were taken, which I shall hopefully update with some improvements in the near future...

Certainly four individuals were present...

...all of whom are clearly already flying, landings proving tricky for some into the nest hole, but plenty of space for a full circle and second try...

...certainly two spent some time in the air before disappearing into some nearby trees...

... I shall return with the 300mm f2.8 and the Gitzo/CB Gimbal combo... with flight shots possible with just 1.4x teleconverter with any luck.  And I may even then bother a little more about suitable processing!

4th July 2010 - "Local Patch"

Another walk by the local Peregrines and we saw three juveniles flying, clearly all improving on flying.  A few stoops were made on pigeons, and even one made a good attempt (but missed) a butterfly!  The three were quite happy to play in the air, and the father even joined in for a while.

Still no photos with the mother's (I think) leg ring showing clearly enough to read...

One of the girls displaying well- just before terrorising a woodpigeon.

We think there are likely to be two females and one male in this brood- the male here diving onto one of his sisters... carefully having chosen the worst light for me...

The birds acceptance of the urban jungle implanted near their home is clear, but it is concerning.  I always remember that of last years "Chichester Brood" only one of the young has been seen since- lying dead on the ground, badly injured having hit the overhead power lines directly above her corpse.