After watching the breeding pair of nankeen kestrels at the Lonsdale St power station for a year, the male landed on the next-door neighbours' balcony this evening.
And sat there for ages. Long enough for me to shoot a bunch of photos with the 70-210, change over to the 300 f/4 and start shooting again.
And he responded when I did my heavily human-accented version of his calls, without panicking and flying off.
I don't care if I never take another photo again - this is about as good as it gets. I've stood metres away from a wild raptor in the middle of the city and exchanged communication. The universe smiled today.
סּ-סּ, Ruben Daniel Mascaro Photography, velco, SJ Allen, and 6 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Andy100. [deleted] 79 months ago | reply
Lovely Dr. Dolittle moment captured for posterity. I had a chaffinch get stuck behind the cooker in our campervan once and shouted "Get out of there you dopey little bastard" at it but I don't think he understood.
mugley 79 months ago | reply
Ooh, ah doon't mahnd a good bit o'chaffinch. Leave it in the cooker for a whaal and we'll 'ave it wiv tea and croompets.
Tabbi Kat 79 months ago | reply
How wonderful and amazing! Good shot, too.
Once, in northern Wisconsin a hawk landied on the porch railing while I was standing in the livingroom 10 feet away, and looked at me. I made a move for the camera and he took off, but he left a feather behind so I had something to show for our brief encounter.
Lacrimosa 79 months ago | reply
Chaffinch-munching isn't as far-fetched as it seems, mugley. They still eat sparrows in Italy, though probably not with croompets.
But this photo is... just... amazing. What gorgeous plumage. I picked up a floundering baby bird in the shopping area of a small French town a couple of years ago, and was amazed - and a little awed - to see a little raptor face cheeping furiously up at me. Again, it was a kestrel, I think. (I know better than to touch it under normal circumstances, but it was just about to be sucked into a pavement-cleaning machine.)
Awesome to see these wild and elemental creatures in our urban evironments.
Cynthia Longo 79 months ago | reply
WOW, that's really cool! All I get on my balcony are pigeons, chickdees, and starlings. You were definitely in the right place at the right time!
damien.wise 79 months ago | reply
Must've been quite an experience.
(Made my day, thanks)
.Bosk 79 months ago | reply
Bravo.
Excellent story to accompany your shot!
Station Street 79 months ago | reply
What a great story.
Sometimes the Gods do bequeath you with beautiful gifts.
Mr St3v3 [deleted] 79 months ago | reply
LMAO Mugley you taking pictures of birds again?
velco 79 months ago | reply
How did I miss this one? Amazing expression on the old fella, a must at large size for anyone who hasn't done it yet.. Supreme stuff mugs!
SJ Allen 79 months ago | reply
Thanks for sharing both the gorgeous pic and the story!
Yorrick (bonehead) 78 months ago | reply
great story , wonderful bird...i was lucky enough to watch one hunting around the headlands near wollongong lighthouse yesterday
i found your pics durring a tag search, they're awesome!!
Vermin Inc 78 months ago | reply
He's so cute, I just want pat him. “Raptor want a mousey?” Screeeeech! “My eyes, my beautiful laser corrected eyes!”.
benrobertsabq 74 months ago | reply
Once-in-a-lifetime shot.
You know the 'verse was giving you a break.
'Cause usually what would've happened is you'd rush to snag him, put up the camera, take a shot, get a pure white exposure and realize the camera was still set to ISO1600 and 1/2 second from whatever you were mucking with the night before, put your finger on the menu to change it and he'd fly off. :)
Cynthia Longo 74 months ago | reply
LMAO Vermin! Damn, you are clever!
Or, ben, what also could have happened is the raptor could have eaten mug's camera. Not that I'd know anything about camera-eating birds....
(and he's still gorgeous, mugley!)
Voodoo Plastik [deleted] 68 months ago | reply
Great capture my friend!!
Wow!! I saw this great pictue in...
The Wonderful, Wacky One Pic Group!!!
EarleyGirl 50 months ago | reply
Beautiful!