A Kestrel, a Sparrow and a Crow

[riddim_maker]

Today was one of those rare gloomy and rainy days here in LA.
As you know, not necessarily great lighting for avian photography.
But sometimes the subject and situation is so compelling that one cannot resist the temptation.

Normally I'd have to drive miles just to get some feathered action, but this morning it showed up at my doorstep:

This kestrel, with prey (a sparrow), landed on a high voltage pole behind my house
http://riddimmaker.smugmug.com/photos/131476446-O.jpg


Not too long after he started enjoying his meal, a dark figure appeared overhead
http://riddimmaker.smugmug.com/photos/131476421-O.jpg


Well, what do we have here? An uninvited guest for lunch.
"Maybe he'll leave if I pretend to ignore him"
http://riddimmaker.smugmug.com/photos/131476428-O.jpg



Finally,unwilling to share his lunch with the unfriendly intruder, the kestrel hastily
moves with its prey to a different spot on the same pole
http://riddimmaker.smugmug.com/photos/131476442-O.jpg


But the persistent crow was not easily swayed
http://riddimmaker.smugmug.com/photos/131514327-O.jpg

In order not to anger the unfriendly intruder any further, the kestrel decided to give up his prey and his pole to the crow while thinking:
"he who fight and run away lives to fight another day"
http://riddimmaker.smugmug.com/photos/131476454-O.jpg

[jwear]

fantastic :thumb great set with the last shot to nail it down :clap :thumb real great work

[JohnDC]

Very nice shots. I like that ominous looking image of the crow above the kestrel.

[Harryb]

Great series of shots. :clap

[dallas]

Wow............Wow............Wow. I wish I had been there.:cry :cry :cry They are fabulous images Russ. Congratulations.:barb

[Gale]

Fantastic shots.
Next to last won't show for me though

[raptorcaptor]

Very nice series Russ! :clap

[riddim_maker]

Fantastic shots.
Next to last won't show for me though
Thanks for the "heads up" Gayle and for commenting

[bfjr]

Don't ya just love them lucky happenstance's !! :wow

And boy did you take advantage of it :clap :super

[riddim_maker]

fantastic :thumb great set with the last shot to nail it down :clap :thumb real great workThanks Jeff, not bad for backyard shooting.:D

[riddim_maker]

Very nice shots. I like that ominous looking image of the crow above the kestrel.Yeah, you're right. It seems like a scene from a scary movie.

[riddim_maker]

Great series of shots. :clapThanks Harry.

[riddim_maker]

Wow............Wow............Wow. I wish I had been there.:cry :cry :cry They are fabulous images Russ. Congratulations.:barbYes, I wish you were too William:cry :cry :cry ...:rofl . We were actually talking on the phone minutes after I captured this scene.

[riddim_maker]

Very nice series Russ! :clap
Thank you, Glenn

[Brooks P]

Number three amazes me. We have crows and ravens and I can't seem to get the exposure right, and you got both the crow and the kestrel. That is a most impressive series of photos, what a great capture.

[BigAl]

Great series, but #2 is super :clap

[riddim_maker]

Number three amazes me. We have crows and ravens and I can't seem to get the exposure right, and you got both the crow and the kestrel. That is a most impressive series of photos, what a great capture.Dark subjects are indeed a challenge to expose correctly. I guess everything fell into place in this situation since I already had the exposure set for the kestrel when the crow showed up. The overcast sky might have also been a contributing factor. Thank you for your kind comments, Brooks

[riddim_maker]

Great series, but #2 is super :clapThanks BigAl, #2 was actually the motivating for this post.

[Maestro]

I love your Kestrel shots. They are very nice! That raven has some cojones!

[kdog]

Very interesting behavioral interactions there combined with great photography.
It doesn't get any better than that. Congratulations, Russ!!! :clap

[Milan]

Wow. Great pictures and great story!:bow
Shot #2 is amazing.