Kestrel taking off

The same kestrel from the fence post, a minute later, off the perch and banking away over open ground. Kestrels hunt by hovering in place scanning for movement below, then dropping — quite different from the direct pursuit style of a larger falcon like a peregrine.

Getting the shot

A much faster shutter than the perched shot to freeze the wingtips mid-beat. Tracking a small, fast-moving falcon against featureless blue sky is mostly about anticipating the flight line rather than reacting to it — I started panning before she’d fully left the post.