My habit is to get obsessed with a particular species. For awhile, I chase that species in what I hope is a compulsive but healthy manner, until I have a collection of images that I like. In the pursuit I learn a lot about the animal or bird, where to find, good methods to get close to them, general habits and knowledge to aid in the quest.
A friend of mine was commenting that he wanted to get some photos of Kestrels. I told him we have many in the area and general places he could find them. He kept expressing, with some frustration, that he was not able to find them and that was all it took to awaken the species challenge in me.
These are beautiful little birds that are relatively easy to find and photograph. They are widespread across North America and are doing well, not threatened or endangered and fun to watch. They like open fields and border areas. They use trees, power lines, fences and rocks to perch on. They hover over an area to hunt and then dive onto their prey. They eat insects, lizards, small birds and mammals.
Kestrels are the smallest bird in the Falcon family and the only Kestrel in America. They are unusual in the Falcon family as the male and female differ subtly in colors.
Northern Desert Photography 
Marvelous captures! One of my favorite birds!
Thanks! Mine too. 🙂
Good to see you back online!
Thanks! It’s nice to be back. 🙂
These are fantastic! The abundance of kestrels here in the Palouse was a pleasant surprise. I need to try photographing them sometime, though I don’t really have the lenses for it.
Thanks so much! I hope you like the Palouse. Certainly different from Nevada but beautiful in it’s own way. Someone as talented as you can certainly showcase it. Looking forward to seeing your photos of it and perhaps Kestrels. 🙂
You’re back! And with fantastic photos!!!!
Great pictures, keep posting
Thanks! I intend to. 🙂 Thanks for the follow!
Seeing the other comments i assume you’ve picked up blogging again. Lucky for us 🙂 Such lovely shots, especially the one where the Kestrel has just taken off.. great work!
So thanks for visiting my site as i got the change to visit yours again 🙂
Warm regards, Pieter
Thank you so much!. I hope to keep at it. 🙂
Cutest creature ever. My son in law rescued a baby kestrel from garbage and trained him to fly and hunt. Then a lady kestrel settled nearby and it became clear that Fred has to return to the wild. He and his mate stayed in the neighborhood for winter and left in spring. He still remembered his name 🙂
They are! Cool story thanks for sharing. 😊