Fun Day in the Field

jeff lapoint

Had a great time at Bolsa today and even got lucky with a few critters that are usually less than cooperative

I've never seen a little guy try to be eaten more than this fellow. Here he is playing on the rattlesnake mound as a hawk circles far overhead. After 30mins of waiting I gave up on catching something dramatic






Need some ID help with this raptor. Any ideas?


The red tail was surprisingly ham-like today...









I know, I know, dial down the EV Ben and Jeff will say...but considering I had the black to worry about and PS doesn't report a total blowout on any section...

By far the highlight of my trip today was the kites. They are, however, no so found of letting me get too close. I was glad I had the camera ready as this on took off.




Thanks for the look!

-j

bfjr

glad you had fun and brought these beauties home
raptor shots are all super
to bad the ummmm big rat wasn't lunch for one of them :uhoh

jeff lapoint

bfjr wrote:

glad you had fun and brought these beauties home
raptor shots are all super
to bad the ummmm big rat wasn't lunch for one of them :uhoh

Now that would have been awesome...

Thanks Ben! Catch you next time!

-j

bfjr

jeff lapoint wrote:

Now that would have been awesome...

Thanks Ben! Catch you next time!

-j

Sorry I forgot the BIF raptor is a Kestral.

jwear

the one is a merlin or imm peregrine --size is the big thing [real good capture ] and please tell me where you shot it .location. red tail was that at bolsa also very good very sad some one did not do take out lunch :cry someday one of us well be there good day do not want to disagree with ben but i think merlin --kite is also great

jeff lapoint

jwear wrote:

the one is a merlin or imm peregrine --size is the big thing [real good capture ] and please tell me where you shot it .location. red tail was that at bolsa also very good very sad some one did not do take out lunch :cry someday one of us well be there good day do not want to disagree with ben but i think merlin --kite is also great

Thanks Jeff! All taken at Bolsa. The key for me today was parking in the Warner entrance and taking the trail that runs along the fence. The red tail was perched on a street lamp on Warner and the merlin/kestrel/perigrine was right by the parking lot off Warner.

jwear

jeff lapoint wrote:

Thanks Jeff! All taken at Bolsa. The key for me today was parking in the Warner entrance and taking the trail that runs along the fence. The red tail was perched on a street lamp on Warner and the merlin/kestrel/perigrine was right by the parking lot off Warner.

on warner by that little body of water early or late in the day ??

jeff lapoint

jwear wrote:

on warner by that little body of water early or late in the day ??

yeah. 'bout 11:30/12 noon

jeff lapoint

bfjr wrote:

Sorry I forgot the BIF raptor is a Kestral.

Do we have a final consensus on the ID?

bfjr

jeff lapoint wrote:

Do we have a final consensus on the ID?

OK Jeff and I have been using our one remaining brain cell that is working and after much book and internet searching ......... it is

A Merlin

and again well done

jwear

jeff lapoint wrote:

Do we have a final consensus on the ID?

I just talked with Ben

---

merlin the dark lines and the tail are the spots to look they are very close --Ben said it was a baldeagle ---immm ofcourse I think we both agree on merlin --we do agree that it is a great shot

dallas

Jeff, you're right up there with the big boys. The last two are fab. Can hardly wait to get a TC.

jeff lapoint

dallas wrote:

Jeff, you're right up there with the big boys. The last two are fab. Can hardly wait to get a TC.

Thanks Dallas! The TC is great, but does come with its inherent optical limitations (slight image degredation and loss of light).

Harryb

Excellent series Jeff.