Kestrel feeding

Not too often, I am able to find a Kestrel falcon stalking food. Most of the time
they sit on power lines and watch  for photographers trying to take their pictures. They
wait until the photographer stops and turns vehicle around and pulls out the camera.
The Kestrel gives it a count of 3 and then takes OFF.

Kestrel in a hard diving turn.
 Yeah, I know it is blurred. I'm practicing on still life.
This bird is never still when there is a camera around.
 Kestrels are more tolerant of Canon equipment.

Active flight is light and buoyant, soars on flat wings, often with tail fanned.

 It is a fast flyer at speeds of 36 mph, It is the only North American falcon to hunt

 regularly by hovering (wing flapping) or in strong winds, by kitting (wings held steady).

Kestrel Males are 9-10" tall and 20" wingspreads. This bird was photographed at approximately 50 yards, canon 5D MK3 500mm f4.

Kestrel Hover

Kestrel Hover

Kestrel Hover

Kestrel Hover

Kestrel Hover

Kestrel Hover

Caprock State Park

At 0130 Saturday morning I awoke with no planned direction of travel, but did have a need to leave the Metro Mess.

At 0230 the Navigator, Co-Pilot and Pilot climbed on board. I flipped the switch on Dorothy (gps) checked weather and plotted toward 270 degrees, away from the extreme weather that was indicated by the red and yellow boxes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the road in North Texas

 

New and Old energy procurement

Milkweed and guests

Backlash in the reel



Lichens on the range

Barbwire act

Saint Jo infestation

Saint Jo Sunflowers

That blank stare

Precursor to Duck Tape 

 

Prairie pinwheel that runs on Sailboat fuel 

Gravity in process

I stopped at this street sign...just to get my bearings. Rod Serling was reading his map too.
I borrowed his map.

I then borrowed his car

A few thorns here and there.

Should have borrowed the mule

 

Headed toward Megargel

This morning, Sunday the ninth of September dawned to a 56 degree world of honks and barks.
The honks was a flock of geese that was flying over at tree top and the barking was the neighborhood dogs that got woke up. It was a good morning to hit the road.

 

I'll post more as time permits.

Also check Shades of Grey

We slept in today, thinking I was going to get up and mow the yard,  well that didn't happen. A friend of mine told me where he thought there were some of those old wooden oil derricks. Wild horses couldn't stop me from hitting the road. I didn't find those oil derricks (Jimmy?!). We did however, run across several hundred acres of these beauties.

I am still looking for those wooden oil derricks (! anyone out there?!)

Caprock State Park May 22 2012

I really enjoyed spending the night in this park. There is something for everyone in the family.

The great thing is you are just outside of cell service.