American Kestrel - Bosque del Apache NWR - 12/11/2021

As I drove the north and south loop roads at Bosque last week, I was remembering the locations where I had taken some of my favorite shots on previous trips to the refuge. At one point I remember that I had obtained a few close-up shots of an American Kestrel on a post around the next turn. As I made the turn, I saw a kestrel on the same post. I stopped my car in a location with a good light angle and was able to get the images shown below. Click on each image to see a slightly larger version.

American Kestrel - Bosque del Apache NWR - December 11, 2021

Olympus E-M1X camera, 150-400mm f/4.5 TC lens
Settings: 395mm focal length, 1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320


American Kestrel - Bosque del Apache NWR - December 11, 2021

Olympus E-M1X camera, 150-400mm f/4.5 TC lens
Settings: 395mm, 1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320


American Kestrel - Bosque del Apache NWR - December 11, 2021

Olympus E-M1X camera, 150-400mm f/4.5 TC lens
Settings: 395mm, 1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400


American Kestrel with catch - Bosque del Apache NWR - December 11, 2021

Olympus E-M1X camera, 150-400mm f/4.5 TC lens
Settings: 395mm, 1/2000 at f/5.6, ISO 250


American Kestrel with catch - Bosque del Apache NWR - December 11, 2021

Olympus E-M1X camera, 150-400mm f/4.5 TC lens
Settings: 395mm, 1/2000 at f/5.6, ISO 320


American Kestrel with catch - Bosque del Apache NWR - December 11, 2021

Olympus E-M1X camera, 150-400mm f/4.5 TC lens
Settings: 395mm, 1/2000 at f/5.6, ISO 320


David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.