Another smallish hawk that visits the San Angelo on occasion, is the Prairie Falcon. It is larger than the American Kestrel that I featured yesterday. I captured this photo a few years ago, when it made a couple of appearances atop a utility pole a few blocks from where I live.
Prairie Falcon
In this second photo, taken at a different time, you can see that he has caught a small rodent of some kind.
Prairie Falcon
Another small hawk that is seen around here is the Merlin. The image below was shot in the early morning as you can see by the side light.
Merlin
Yesterday I had posted several of my images of the American Kestrel. I had forgotten that some of you may not have seen this photo that I posted a year or so ago. I had shot the photo while the bird was perched in a leaf-less shrub. During post-processing, I done a little of this and a little of that, and ended up with this 3D illusion. (this is not an HDR proccesed image). Click to see the enlargement. I hope you like it.
American Kestrel in 3D
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
Ah! Now! That prairie kestrel looks just like the kestrel we have in the UK! It is still a lovely bird but doesn’t stand out nearly as much as the American!
Cheers
John
Thanks, John. I love those little guys.
Handsome little fellow(s)!!
Thanks, Derrick.
Lovely shots Bob! A little of this and a little of that made for a pretty cool photo rendition.
Thanks, Donna. I agree, it is pretty cool. 🙂
Excellent photos as always, especially the kestrel.
I just looked at the Christmas bird count done around Muskegon, among the birds sighted, a golden eagle, northern shrikes, snow geese, tundra swans, 5 species of gulls, 6 species of owls, western grebes, and on it goes. Muskegon is no longer the gritty, industrial, terribly polluted place that you left, but it is still cold and snowy in the winter! The next nice day we get on a weekend, I’m headed over to look for the golden eagle and snowy owls, who have returned again this winter, wish me luck!
Thanks for your comment, Jerry. The last time I visited my brother in Muskegon, about 5 years ago, they took me where a Golden Eagle had a nest. I got a few pictures then. I hope you get to see one or more, and also the Snowy Owl. I have never seen one of them.
I really like your shots of the Prairie Falcon, Bob. Although we get a lot of American Kestrels in South Louisiana, and we sometimes get winter visits from Merlins, the Prairie Falcon is a no-show here. I’m thankful to be able see them through your camera.
Thanks, Dwynn. I am glad you are enjoying my work. 🙂
Wow – I love the 3D American Kestrel Your fiddling around worked! Now, let me get these other little cuties straight – the Prairie Falcon has some dots on the feathers like the Kestrel and the Merlin does not. At a glance they appear similar. Thanks for posting the photos, you wizard you!
hugs
Thanks, Beth. The Merlin also has that gray back. Also, if you could see them side by side, the Prairie Falcon is about 6 inches larger.