Snapped this kestrel today on Vancouver Island. Super excited about all the critters I am seeing.
Cheers to you and more amazing Canadian critters soon~
The last time I saw a kestrel this up close was when I volunteered at a raptor rehabilitation center several years ago. So thanks for bringing me up close to one again! <3
Well, the peak salmon run happens in The Knight Inlet where we have been but never stayed. We always wanted to stay here and watch the grizzlies fish over the course of days, plus the orcas are super active on the west coast of Vancouver Island and although we’ve seen them, we’ve never stayed with them for days either, and we have never been to the east end of the island, so we are staying there too. The island is a wildlife paradise.
OH! I meant us going somewhere closer. Or did I misunderstand in the first place? I wouldn’t be surprised if I did LOL. I do that that trip you just mentioned would be amazing!!!!
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Cindy Knoke with a teaser…this beautiful kestrel on Vancouver Island is the first of some Canadian wildlife coming soon…
I have not seen one of these beauties in the wild so thank you for sharing. I don’t think it is coincidence that you find so many amazing and beautiful creatures. Like always attracts like. Peace.
Beauty. Hard not to love Canadian birdies 🙂 Though most of them are or have already packed their feathered bags and are heading to somewhat more hospitable climes… at least for awhile.
We see them frequently in Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada. They’re so pretty. They almost hover whilst looking for the insects that make up most of their diet. In other news, I’ve had a screech owl calling in my backyard at night for about ten days. I’d love to see it, but it’s dark and they’re tiny.
We get those too, but not commonly. There were a couple in the campground at night when we went to Craters of the Moon. We get barn owls too, but you only ever see them dead on the highway. They must be plentiful, but they are elusive too.
They are across from us on the mainland and we will be going next to them, but not to them, which is probably good, since Prince William & Kate are going to see the spirit bears and I am sure crowds will accompany them~
The Pacific Northwest (including beautiful British Columbia) has such a beautiful variety of critters! I’m looking forward to what you capture with your camera as you relax and enjoy visiting my nearest, geographical neighbors!
🙂
I love the photo of the kestrel…such a beautiful bird!
Beautiful! Love that subtle shading patterns of blue-grey and brown on the feathers. Had you seen kestrels before or did you have to do research before identifying this bird?
I have photographed a kestrel once before at The Holler and posted it. I see them at The Holler but they are elusive and hard to photograph, same with peregrine falcons. I see their kills though…
We were just there. It gets wilder the further north you go. Today we take a float plane to a cabin where the grizzlies are gorging on the salmon run. Watched black bears yesterday. Hope all is well with you & cheers too~
Bonjour CINDY prends le temps
D’aimer,de rire,de pleurer
De lire , d’écouter l’intelligence
De penser ,de jouer cela rappelle notre enfance
De rêver , surtout de vivre car le temps passe vite
Et surtout le bonheur d avoir des amis ou amies
Je te souhaite une belle journée , une belle semaine
Belle semaine aussi à tes amis et amies , à ta famille et tous ceux qui de l importance pour toi
Wonderful, Cindy! I am on Vancouver Island (it’s my home!!) and happy to see you in these local parts 🙂 Wonderful photo ~I hope the bird has a pretty voice as it sings too
Christy, I am so in love with this island and The Sunshine Coast. I wanted to move here when I retired, but my hubby was reticent. I just feel so comfortable here with the nature and wild ones, and their citizen protectors. I just learned that generations of Bartons (my father’s famiily) had settled all over Canada. I never knew this. Today was grizzlies, scores of them, river and sea otters, I could go on and on….
I’m not so sure I like Canadian birdies very much… The Toronto Bluejays just came into Seattle and took 2 of 3 games, putting a damper on our playoff hopes ~ your photos, however, quite brilliant like always Cindy 🙂
I was just in Seattle. I am still reeling from Pike Place Market. Fabulous and full of life, but oh so many tourists! It’s like Disneyland. I put off going there for years when it was less visited and this is my penance. Love all the volcanoes. Beautiful.
Summer at Pike Place Market can be miserable…in the fall/winter, nothing better 🙂 My grandparents met at a coffee shop here, so I love it when there is a more blue-collar, working atmosphere there 🙂
It was a Thursday mid September. Word has gotten out. The entire world loves Pikes Place Market for good reason. It feels very Latin American open market to me which I love, plus of course, we did go twice, to eat the seafood, which Seattle does like it should be done.
You can see why women have been wearing bird feathers for centuries. We envy birds looks for good reason. Birds are also highly intelligent but that is not so easily emulated~
think of all the “bird” adj and nouns that are applied and used to describe women.
Envy is right – you can wear the outfit, but it doesn’t make you the real thing.
Great picture!
This is a fuzzy shot where its feathers are all “fluffed up!” I like that it looks like it came from the local beauty shop and had a “blow dry!” 😀 Hugs to you, dear Cindy! <3
Goodness, what a complete joy to see and photograph. This little sweetheart must enjoy the temperate climate on the coast as I’ve not seen them in our hood. But I wish I did as she’s so beautiful. The beak looks more like a Budgie or parrot. It’s so different than most wild birds I see. Little poofy wonder. Was it chilly at the time? xk
This is beyond beautiful!
I agree, such a tiny, powerful and beautiful bird!
It has the cutest little face.
It does~
That’s a beauty! Welcome to Canada.
Sigh, I love Canada. You wouldn’t believe how many animals I have already seen! Heaven~
Beautiful blue
They are striking and amazing aren’t they!
Lovely one! Thanks!
Pleased you enjoyed!
Gorgeous photo!
The subject made it so!
You are too modest! 😉
No way, this bird is photographic cheating. Canada is photographic cheating. It has unfair beauty!
😀 Cheat away, sister!
Yes!!! I will! Thank you!!! <3
What a beauty..that blue beak…wow.
Such a beautiful and lethal raptor~
The last time I saw a kestrel this up close was when I volunteered at a raptor rehabilitation center several years ago. So thanks for bringing me up close to one again! <3
I have only photographed one before so it was a thrill for me too~
I agree. This one’s a winner!
Her looks do not reflect her lethality. Like all falcons she is a fearsome hunter~
Stunning photo! and a beautiful bird.
Thank you kindly and very pleased you enjoyed~
He’s so fluffy!!! Beautiful capture Cindy. ❤️
Maybe he was cold……
aww perhaps 🙂
By the way, when were YOU thinking about going up north? Just curious.
Well, the peak salmon run happens in The Knight Inlet where we have been but never stayed. We always wanted to stay here and watch the grizzlies fish over the course of days, plus the orcas are super active on the west coast of Vancouver Island and although we’ve seen them, we’ve never stayed with them for days either, and we have never been to the east end of the island, so we are staying there too. The island is a wildlife paradise.
OH! I meant us going somewhere closer. Or did I misunderstand in the first place? I wouldn’t be surprised if I did LOL. I do that that trip you just mentioned would be amazing!!!!
Yeay to Canadian birds (my home and native land)!! Looking forward to more, Cindy! Cher xo
Gosh, I love this country! I worry my camera will break from photo overload~
I completely understand!!
<3
looks like they love
you too 🙂
Birds are way smarter than we give them credit for~
Wow! What a beautiful bird!!!
And a raptor too. Raptors are gorgeous creatures~
Fantastic shot! I have not seen one of these before so thank you for sharing!
I am glad you enjoyed her, it is hard to see them sitting still.
Superb!
Grazie Mille!
even I love birds. they are my favorite subject of photography. this one is superb capture.
Hard to capture but so worth it!
Wow! This is so cute, Cindy 🙂
xoxo <3
Snuggly looking little feathered dinosaur!
😀
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Cindy Knoke with a teaser…this beautiful kestrel on Vancouver Island is the first of some Canadian wildlife coming soon…
Hugs and Happy Sunday Sally! <3
You too Cindy… hugs
Amazing, there is something about seeing beauty… Love to you Cindy x
I agree, especially birdie beauty!
Tell it I say hi 😊
I will tell the next bird I see!
I love the colors of that adorable little Canadian birdie! Have fun there sweetie! Hugz Lisa and Bear
Me too. Really lovely colours.
Hugs and Happy Sunday back to you and the bear child~
I have not seen one of these beauties in the wild so thank you for sharing. I don’t think it is coincidence that you find so many amazing and beautiful creatures. Like always attracts like. Peace.
Awww, what a lovely thought from a lovely person! <3
Oh, such a cutie. Love how he (she?) looks back at you.
Whenever I spot birds, they are already looking at me.
Oh my Cindy, he is the cutest! Welcome back to Canada🇨🇦
My second home! Thank you~ <3
What gorgeous color and plumage! I’d suspect you used a telephoto lens. 🙂
I was just now wondering, in response to your comment, if I ever take photos without telephoto and the answer is rarely, only landscapes~
How powerful is your telephoto?
up to 1200mm equivalent~
Wow.
Deadly cuteness 💓
Exactly!
That’s one beautiful bird, Cindy. Great picture. 🙂 — Suzanne
Quite a photogenic little predator!
Beauty. Hard not to love Canadian birdies 🙂 Though most of them are or have already packed their feathered bags and are heading to somewhat more hospitable climes… at least for awhile.
I am seeing lots of them, including a hummingbird!
The last hummingbird left here last week – at least I sure hope she did (for her own good)!
We see them frequently in Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada. They’re so pretty. They almost hover whilst looking for the insects that make up most of their diet. In other news, I’ve had a screech owl calling in my backyard at night for about ten days. I’d love to see it, but it’s dark and they’re tiny.
We have Great Horned Owls on our roof nightly at The Holler, but they are elusive, as you say.
We get those too, but not commonly. There were a couple in the campground at night when we went to Craters of the Moon. We get barn owls too, but you only ever see them dead on the highway. They must be plentiful, but they are elusive too.
If you are on Vancouver Island, I hope you get a chance to see a Spirit Bear!
They are across from us on the mainland and we will be going next to them, but not to them, which is probably good, since Prince William & Kate are going to see the spirit bears and I am sure crowds will accompany them~
Birdie impressed, my friend! ♪( ‘Θ’)ﾉ~☆
She’s a purdy birdie! ♪( ‘Θ’)ﾉ~☆
Absolutely gorgeous baby ~ so precious💗
Just exactly my thoughts! Thank you~
Yay for the rapture capture. Why do we think that deadly is so beautiful ? Are we quite mad ? (silly question). Happy Sunday from wet Britain. 🙂
We couldn’t complete the list of deadly beautiful creatures could we…….
\,,,(‘)< Roar
The Pacific Northwest (including beautiful British Columbia) has such a beautiful variety of critters! I’m looking forward to what you capture with your camera as you relax and enjoy visiting my nearest, geographical neighbors!
🙂
I love the photo of the kestrel…such a beautiful bird!
Canada is like an addictve drug for photographers. It is also presents unfair photograph advantages! Thank you my friend and Happy Sunday~
What a great shot! I have never seen a fluffy kestrel before.
I have only been able to photograph them twice so I am no expert~
I doubt I will ever snap one…
Just lovely Cindy!! I love birds in all their forms and you never fail to share them in their finest lights. Thank you!
I am motivated by people like you who appreciate our feathered friends. Thank you~
I’m falling in love with this one! Happy travel, Cindy. 🙂
Thank you Amy and Happy Sunday to you my friend~
So beautiful.
Hard to imagine what a lethal predator this cutey is……
And the Canadian Birdies love you back!!!
Well today there were bears, eagles, seals, sea lions, salmon in force and a Kingfisher. Sigh, I love Canada~
Beautiful! Love that subtle shading patterns of blue-grey and brown on the feathers. Had you seen kestrels before or did you have to do research before identifying this bird?
I have photographed a kestrel once before at The Holler and posted it. I see them at The Holler but they are elusive and hard to photograph, same with peregrine falcons. I see their kills though…
What a face! Can’t help but wondering what birdie is thinking/seeing.
Raptors always seem to be looking at you. I wonder too what they are thinking.
See how plump it looks. Gorgeous.
Raptors have a magnificence about them, but this guy is just cute!
Wow, such a close up look at this beautiful bird! 🙂
Seems delicate, but is a perfectly designed assassin!
Love this kestrel — and his expression! Wonderful photo, Cindy — got any more?!?
I do but I was trying to practice photo display discipline!!!!
What a phenomenal bird – the feathers, the aspect – all caught by you!
Tiny, gorgeous, little feathered velociraptors!
<3 Me du 🙂
http://www.harfordbirdclub.org/Graphics/oiseau_58.gif
The colours are beautiful. What a great shot.
Thank you it is such a beautifully designed creature!
Oh my goodness what a gorgeous shot. And I love Vancouver Island too.
Watched black bear and eagles today and saw a kingfisher, tomorrow we head up the knight inlet to grizzly land. It is such an incredible region~
Incredible, Cindy. You are living the life.
I try to live life as fully as I can, while I can. Hope you have a wonderful week & cheers to you~
Que cores lindas! Fico arrepiada com tanta beleza!
Obrigada meu bom amiga! <3
It looks like he fluffed his feathers just for your photo.
Yes! I see raptors fluffed at rest a lot at The Holler.
What a beauty birdie1
Well of course he’s a Canadian!!
I remember seeing some amazing stuff on Bainbridge Island when I was in Seattle for a few days. That’s just down the road.
We were just there. It gets wilder the further north you go. Today we take a float plane to a cabin where the grizzlies are gorging on the salmon run. Watched black bears yesterday. Hope all is well with you & cheers too~
Retirement seems to suit you. 😀
Wonderful.
🦅
Bonjour CINDY prends le temps
D’aimer,de rire,de pleurer
De lire , d’écouter l’intelligence
De penser ,de jouer cela rappelle notre enfance
De rêver , surtout de vivre car le temps passe vite
Et surtout le bonheur d avoir des amis ou amies
Je te souhaite une belle journée , une belle semaine
Belle semaine aussi à tes amis et amies , à ta famille et tous ceux qui de l importance pour toi
http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/2417981218.jpg
Gros bisous.
Bernard
Je vous remercie beaucoup mon cher ami Bernard et ont une merveilleuse semaine!
What an amazing, fluffy fancy-bird!
He’s Canadian which explains it!
LOL
What a lovely shot. I am an avid bird lover. I think I told you that 🙂
You did, and I love bird lovers!
Oh my! Absolutely stunning.
Lethal and gorgeous!
Welcome to Canada, Cindy 🙂
That’s quite a detailed image you’ve captured
of one fine feathered friend! 🙂 💜 Jackie@KWH
I don’t ever want to leave! I keep coming back here and it keeps getting better and better. I am gobsmacked by all the wildlife I am experiencing!
Wow, exciting! Glad to hear you’re enjoying your visit 🙂 💜 Jackie@KWH
Happy Monday Jackie and hope your week is good to you~ <3 <3
Happy week and safe travels to you too, Cindy 🙂 💜 Jackie@KWH
<3
Wonderful, Cindy! I am on Vancouver Island (it’s my home!!) and happy to see you in these local parts 🙂 Wonderful photo ~I hope the bird has a pretty voice as it sings too
Christy, I am so in love with this island and The Sunshine Coast. I wanted to move here when I retired, but my hubby was reticent. I just feel so comfortable here with the nature and wild ones, and their citizen protectors. I just learned that generations of Bartons (my father’s famiily) had settled all over Canada. I never knew this. Today was grizzlies, scores of them, river and sea otters, I could go on and on….
So beautiful as always Cindy, me too I love it
Kisses
Oh good. I love bird lovers!
🙂 Kisses
Handsome fella! Enjoy the island – piece of heaven.
It is paradise!
Beautiful bird and great capture. You could take pictures for National Geographic magazine.
Awww, so kind of you and so appreciated~
Beautiful!
Grazie~
So beautiful. Love the color of it’s feathers.
It is a beautiful little feathered dinosaur!
He is definitely the king of the castle.
He (or she) is so happy you think so. (So am I!)
I’m not so sure I like Canadian birdies very much… The Toronto Bluejays just came into Seattle and took 2 of 3 games, putting a damper on our playoff hopes ~ your photos, however, quite brilliant like always Cindy 🙂
I was just in Seattle. I am still reeling from Pike Place Market. Fabulous and full of life, but oh so many tourists! It’s like Disneyland. I put off going there for years when it was less visited and this is my penance. Love all the volcanoes. Beautiful.
Summer at Pike Place Market can be miserable…in the fall/winter, nothing better 🙂 My grandparents met at a coffee shop here, so I love it when there is a more blue-collar, working atmosphere there 🙂
It was a Thursday mid September. Word has gotten out. The entire world loves Pikes Place Market for good reason. It feels very Latin American open market to me which I love, plus of course, we did go twice, to eat the seafood, which Seattle does like it should be done.
Such expression! Such lovely textures. Amazing soft colors and patterns of the feathers. Fabulous bird.
You can see why women have been wearing bird feathers for centuries. We envy birds looks for good reason. Birds are also highly intelligent but that is not so easily emulated~
think of all the “bird” adj and nouns that are applied and used to describe women.
Envy is right – you can wear the outfit, but it doesn’t make you the real thing.
Great picture!
Too true, and interesting~
This is a fuzzy shot where its feathers are all “fluffed up!” I like that it looks like it came from the local beauty shop and had a “blow dry!” 😀 Hugs to you, dear Cindy! <3
It got a very beautiful do! Hugs back to you Robin~
. WOW!
He’s a looker all right!
Gorgeous!!
<3
Pingback: I love Canadian Birdies~ — «Coffissa's Blog Coffissa's Blog
Simply lovely!!!
Thank you Eddie. Hard to imagine this is a formidable predator~
Beautiful Cindy
Pingback: Dinosaur Dawn | Friendly Fairy Tales
Goodness, what a complete joy to see and photograph. This little sweetheart must enjoy the temperate climate on the coast as I’ve not seen them in our hood. But I wish I did as she’s so beautiful. The beak looks more like a Budgie or parrot. It’s so different than most wild birds I see. Little poofy wonder. Was it chilly at the time? xk
Great photo! I wish that I could get that close to one.
It is a wonderful experience~ <3