Nankeen & chicks

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Rick N
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Nankeen & chicks

Lucky enough to find a beautiful Nankeen Kestrel nesting in the beachside cliffs on the weekend.

Four chicks, one noticabely larger and more aggressive than its siblings.

Parents were busy back and forwards with a diet of lizards.

Reflex
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 Wow! You would have to be happy with that find??

 I know where I would be next week-end if I'd found that spot.

Samford Valley Qld.

Rick N
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Only one problem Reflex it's over five hundred Ks from homesmiley

Might be back there next week though with work.

Reflex
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Rick N wrote:

Only one problem Reflex it's over five hundred Ks from homesmiley

Might be back there next week though with work.

That's a pretty good job you've got if you can arrange that.wink

Samford Valley Qld.

windshear
windshear's picture

Aww. What gorgeous photos Rick. Love them all! smiley

Thanks for sharing!

WhistlingDuck

Amazing photos ... fantastic find.

Feeding four chicks is going to be a lot of hard work - tough on the lizards too.

Devster
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They are amazing photos Rick!

I especially love the last one.

I struggle with BIF, may I ask what settings you use? SS, ISO etc

Do you use Shutter Priority?

Cheers

Devster

Rick N
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Thanks all for your comments

Devster,

I shoot in manual, have tried shutter priority etc but hate the lack of control especially

when panning through different areas of light.

Iso as low as the conditions allow, typically start 320 to 400 on a nice day and then lower if

conditions allow.

Aperture usually wide open or 1 stop on my 300mm plus 1.4 tc, any more and auto focus is too slow.

Shutter speed usually start at 1250 to 1600 then, as with iso, faster if it's nice and bright.

All of these thing as very variable depending on camera and lens combinations

but these are the starting points for my rig.

Hope this helps

miccro
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Beautiful shots and bird - thanks for posting 

mike

Lachlan
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Wow, wonderful photos. The last one is really great. 

Is the agro chick the one in the centre in the third photo? It looks kind like it's eyeing you off as second breakfast!

Rick N
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Lachlan wrote:

Wow, wonderful photos. The last one is really great. 

Is the agro chick the one in the centre in the third photo? It looks kind like it's eyeing you off as second breakfast!

Thanks Lachlan, no the one centre front. Looked slightly bigger than the others and more demanding.

Devster
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Thanks Rick, I appreciate you sharing your tips.

I will have to go out now & try for myself.

Cheers

Devster

Annie W
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Oh wow, that is a stunning set of shots, just stunning.  My eye was drawn to the dominant chick in the third shot too, not surprising you mentioned it was larger and more demanding, definately has that don't mess with me gleam in the eye even at that age.  No doubt that you have the knack for finding the raptors and the talent for getting the shot.  I would be in heaven to get something halfway close to these one day in my collection.  Thanks for sharing!

West Coast Tasmania

Rick N
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Thanks Annie, back there in a couple of days so will be interesting to see the development.

Taking some rope gear this time.Had a nasty fall last time and was lucky not to have some serious injury,

cuts and abrasions only.

Wollemi
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Thank you so much for sharing this incredible series of photos! I love series of photos that show the life and character of the bird. Amazing photos.

HendoNT
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cracker shots mate!

Rick N
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Thanks all for your comments.

Back today and the chicks seem to be coming along nicely.

Not sure, but maybe three out of the four survive.

Annie W
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Rick N wrote:

Thanks Annie, back there in a couple of days so will be interesting to see the development.

Taking some rope gear this time.Had a nasty fall last time and was lucky not to have some serious injury,

cuts and abrasions only.

I was going to make a smart arse comment and say glad you were ok, but more importantly, was your gear? laughdevil  But now seeing the terrain, phew!  You are very lucky indeed I imagine Rick, could have been an extremely nasty outcome.

Aww, they are still just as gorgeous.  Must be getting cosier and cosier in there as they grow.  Any guess on the age of them?

West Coast Tasmania

Rick N
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Smart arse comments are ok, mainly my ego was dentedsmiley Camera dropped in the last metre but seems ok.

First shots were taken 21-10 and the rest today, so three weeks?

It's a long way from home and over here working at the end of a job, but I'm feeling keen to keep in touch

with their progress. In the landscape photo you can see a pink bit of wall about two thirds up and one third across

from the left,just to the right of a vertical crack.Slight dot in the middle is the nest.

Cheers

Devster
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Wow that is a long way.

Where do you get your shots from?

Is that another keen birder below?

Woko
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I presume the dot is the one with the white excreta, Rick!

Are those cliffs on the Great Australian Bight?

Rick N
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Devster, that's me after abseiling down, partner took the shot so shouldn't have my name on it,

downloading error.

Woko, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, South of Arno Bay.
 

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