Summer is slow for birds around my area here in Florida. There is not a lot of action after early morning as it gets pretty hot but I have managed to find the pair of Kestrel Hawks still in the area of their nesting box. They go about the business of hunting for food in an open low cut grass field where they seem to find a lot of mole crickets. Lucky for me they don't fly off when I'm in close proximity but continue to fly down from their hunting perches high up in a pine tree, on signs and fence to capture their meals. Thought I would share some of my photos of these beautiful Hawks.

Pair of Kestrels I have had the opportunity to photograph from last spring nesting.

(Download)

Female Kestrel feasts on a Mole Cricket

(Download)

Male feeding on Mole Cricket high in a Pine Tree on his hunting perch


Female Kestrel is only about 50 ft away and doesn't seem to care about having her picture taken as she gives me the eye.

(Download)

Male Kestrel flew down on the gravel road to catch a beetle about 40 ft. from where I was sitting.

(Download)

This past spring nesting season I had some great shots of the pairs interactions feeding the young.

(Download)

Found this pair of Kestrel Hawks at a park near the home during nesting season. I have never been able to get close enough to a Kestrel Hawk as I have since finding this nesting box on a power pole. This was a good find and I so enjoyed going early in the mornings and have them sit still within the range of my camera lens.

The female usually fly'

(Download)

Male decides to bring the meal to the front door. Normally he waits on the wire for her to come to him.


You have to be on your toes with your camera a quick exchange of food happens very fast and she is gone.


Males hunting perch. This guy misses nothing if it moves in the large grassy area in front of him. Mole crickets are high on the menu


It is amazing the eye sight of these birds. I have seen them catch things in midair returning to the perch with dragonfly's in their beak.

Thanks for your comments

Your lucky if you get within 100 ft. of them if its not nesting season. I felt so lucky this is the first time I have had them sit still long enough to take some photo's. Nice nesting boxes the power company installed on power poles made it easy to sit and wait for some action.

Thanks everyone for your comments I do appericate your kind words.

Thank you so much for your comment it does inspire one to try and search for that elusive great picture. I have fallen in love with bird pictures.

Had a real enjoyable time photographing during nesting season here in Florida. I found some great nesting sites and was able to watch these young birds as they were being fed and raised to flight status. I actually saw the Kestrel Hawk catch the dragon fly in mid air offering it to the female who then nibbled on it a bit and then took the rest to the nest box located on the side of a power pole.

(Download)




(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

Thank you so much for your comments.

Just a few of the birds I have photographed in Central Florida. I was the luckiest guy in the world to have a Painted Bunting light on my feeder, it is very unusual to see the male just sitting at a feeder but there he was only about 20 ft. from where I was located.

(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

Thanks so much for your comments I do appericate each and every one of them.

Thanks for your comments it mean a lot to me.

Thanks for your comments

I agree!

When the weather cools down birds start to become more active and I have seen quite a varity this past year,hope to see the same this year. I had very good luck with my Blue Bird nest this year rasing 8 chicks, 2 nestings with a third nest that once again had 4 eggs. The female Bluebird on this nest was killed by a cat, feathers were found on the ground and the proof was pretty evident as to her demise. I'm assuming this was the same female Bluebird on all three nestings as it was the only pair of birds I had seen in the area around the nest box. Two nestings are not uncommon but three nests I would say might be a little unusual.

(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

The Florida Sandhill Cranes are year round residents in Florida and do not migrate, it is estimated to be around 4,000 to 5000 birds. The migratory Sandhill Crane does visit Florida starting around September. Florida Sandhill Cranes are usually seen in pairs with a couple of their young, who are almost as large as their parent's before they take off on their own. The Floriida Sandhill Crane is a very inquisitive bird, not afraid of people at all and will except food when offered to them. Being a large bird they are sometimes very intimidating when they advance toward you having no fear and become very bold with this type of behavior. They actually have road signs with caution Sandhill Crane area around some of our shopping Malls that are surrounded by marshy areas. Florida Cranes usually are seen in pairs, male and female walking down the middle of the road with traffic slowing waiting for them to clear, they act as if they could care less about the traffic or people.