Tuesday, September 27, 2011

World Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - A Thrilling Find


This lovestruck pair of NankeenKestrels, Falco cenchroides,
that were doing the 'John, John, - Marsha, Marsha' thing, I
would have missed except for the noises they made.


I was more intent on walking home and scanning the trees
on the road verge not on the paddock. It is amazing that at
this range a) I saw them, and b)managed to sneak up to the
fence and steady both elbows on a fence post without
alarming them.


Luckily I had carted my 300mm lens all the way up the hill
like the grand old Duke of York, and then back down again!

Here is a mighty smug Nankeen Kestrel (I hope! I spent a while
on the identification), just chilling out . . .


contemplating the world and having that soothing cigarette,


while her Ladyship elected to have hers on the other side of
the tree.


This is our resident pair that has not nested in the Lombardy
Poplar on the road verge for more than three years, ever since
I have had my SLR. I had misses them very much and am very
glad they are still in residence, even if in some other tree.



Hope you enjoy my meagre efforts, at least the tree is pretty sharp.

Do post your birds on World Bird Wednesday and show us what graces
you skies. Thanks to Springman, we can enjoy so many birds around
the world.

Hop over tho Rambling Woods and post your Nature Notes to show
what is going on in your neck of the woods.


35 comments:

  1. such light-colored little kestrals. neat!

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  2. A great sighting. I'd need a bigger camera lens to get any bird shots this good.

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  3. Such majestic birds, sitting on that ancient tree limb!

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  4. Arija dear,
    thank you for your visit my sites!
    your posts are always so good to read and see.
    Squirrels ? Are they different kind there ? I really have some funny photos of our squirrels :)
    i publish them for you!

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  5. Hi there - nice set of shots - I always find birds of prey a real challenge. Either moving too fast or too far away!

    Not much deep water fishing off the jetty. Swan Bay is rather shallow - but you can fish there.

    Cheers - Stewart M

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  6. Cool sighting of the kestrel. Those long lenses are great. Thanks for sharing and have a great day.

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  7. I'm glad you carried that lens up the hill and got these neat pictures.

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  8. Nice shot of the birds. I never have luck taking nice photos of birds hahaha.

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  9. Wow ! that must have been difficult to do such wonderful pictures !

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  10. Fabulous shots - and so nice of her to pose for you like that!

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  11. Beautiful compositions, with all that clear azure sky, stark tree and lovely birds!

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  12. Great looking birds!! Boom &Ggary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  13. Hi Arija, not being familiar with English nursery rhymes I had to look up "Grand Old Duke of York" on Wikipedia. Getting those pictures was worth the effort though! Congrats on having rediscovered the kestrel pair!

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  14. Great photos and very nice to have a pair of kestrels that close.

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  15. Beautiful birds to see Arija.. thanks for sharing your good fortune.

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  16. Enjoy? I most certainly did. Thanks for the post!

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  17. I love kestrels but rarely see them in Sweden. Nice shots.

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  18. Carrying around the 300mm? Good for you muscles! Just look how you were rewarded. What a great find to see the kestrels on such a dramatic looking tree trunk. Great eye and excellent take Arija, you go girl!

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  19. Oh my gosh that's a great photo essay! Thank you for having your camera and sharing with us. We actually used occasionally to have kestrals in our suburban yard (before we sold our house) -- I loved to watch them, but feared for the songbirds!

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  20. Nice captures of this magnificent bird.

    Regards and best wishes

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  21. Hi there - glad you liked the flowers - no intention (subtle or otherwise) to correct your ID's. Had to go back and work out what you meant!
    Orchids are a nightmare at the best of times - so my "identifications" are tentative at best.

    Cheers - Stewart M

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  22. I was just trying to capture you in my imagination, sneaking up on them with the 300 lens, sounds a bit like someone I also know very well. Your sneaking around, got you some steady and very delightful images of this special pair of Kestrels, and that is also an interesting tree they rest upon. Glad they are still enjoying your area~

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  23. Now I published some photos of squirrel. Photos are taken last autumn when their fur was already grey.
    Nice day to you!

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  24. The bird looks brave and noble in the deep blue sky! I want to listen to the bird singing. Perfect combination of the bird and the uniquely shaped tree. Just beautiful!
    Best wishes,
    keiko

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  25. what lovely kestrels and so nice to have them sit still long enough for you to take all these photos!

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  26. Oh..isn't love grand..it's your spring and my fall so I will enjoy your spring....Michelle

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  27. What nifty little birds these Kestrals. I've only seen one around here, and they aren't as handsome as yours.
    B.

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