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Thread: Australian Kestrel

  1. #1
    Forum Participant John Cooper's Avatar
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    Default Australian Kestrel

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    This image of the Australian Kestrel was taken some years ago on film stock. I've included it here as Randy wished to see my hide/tower set-up and the tower seen here was set up on this nesting kestrel.
    Of course the tower is introduced in stages over 5-6 days before photography commenced, but even on the first day the 2 kestrels went about feeding their young regardless of our presence below unloading the tower..!!

    EOS 5, 100-300 F5.6L, iso 100, 1/125 @ F11, early morning light with fill flash. Tower/hide, tripod.


    Last edited by Peter Kes; 11-04-2012 at 05:04 AM.

  2. #2
    Forum Participant John Cooper's Avatar
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    Default Tower/hide set-up

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    This is the tower used to photograph the nesting kestrel at 23 feet. The tower is the second one I had built. Its a TV type design with 3 steel guy ropes about half way up and another 4 guy ropes from each corner of the hide. Adjustable steps clip on the side of the tower at suitable distances. The tower is telescopic (two 15 foot sections) with the inner section being raised with a winch. This makes it ideal to level the hide with the nest. Entrance into the hide is through a trapdoor in the hide's floor and equipment is then hauled up on a rope. The whole structure is very stable and solid as a rock - the only time it gets a bit disconcerting is when cattle come along and rub themselves on the guyropes

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    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
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    very interesting John,thanks for showing.

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    Forum Participant John Cooper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Cooper View Post
    This is the tower used to photograph the nesting kestrel at 23 feet. The tower is the second one I had built. Its a TV type design with 3 steel guy ropes about half way up and another 4 guy ropes from each corner of the hide. Adjustable steps clip on the side of the tower at suitable distances. The tower is telescopic (two 15 foot sections) with the inner section being raised with a winch. This makes it ideal to level the hide with the nest. Entrance into the hide is through a trapdoor in the hide's floor and equipment is then hauled up on a rope. The whole structure is very stable and solid as a rock - the only time it gets a bit disconcerting is when cattle come along and rub themselves on the guyropes
    See Kestrel image below tower............
    Last edited by John Cooper; 11-04-2012 at 02:20 AM.

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    John:

    Thanks so much for sharing the kestrel picture and the tower picture! And I thought I did unusual things to get the shot! It sure gives you great shooting angles.

    How long does it take to assemble? Have it set it up further from the nests, or usually in this tight? I worry a bit about stressing the birds in that close.

    Thanks again for sharing.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

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    This hide is one of a kind, very interesting setup you have there. Lovely closeup and the mother feeding baby is very cute, good work TFS.

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    Mmmm....this is the ultimate hide photograpy John! I guess thatīs a lot of work but the results are fabulous! are you still doing this for bird photography?

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    Forum Participant John Cooper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Stout View Post
    John:

    Thanks so much for sharing the kestrel picture and the tower picture! And I thought I did unusual things to get the shot! It sure gives you great shooting angles.

    How long does it take to assemble? Have it set it up further from the nests, or usually in this tight? I worry a bit about stressing the birds in that close.



    Thanks again for sharing.

    Cheers

    Randy
    Thanks Randy for your comments.This particular tower would take 2 men about 1 hour to erect - but usually the tower is unloaded and left flat on the ground for a few days. Then it is erected to its minimum height of 15 foot and left for another 2-3 days and finally winched up to the desired height. The whole process takes about 1 week before photographic session are commenced. In 24 years of using a hide/tower set-up I haven't had a situation where the birds were stressed. Of course if all necessary precautions are not taken when introducing the set-up the outcome could be very different - not to mention the complete waste of time and effort, so it pays to get it right from the very start..!!

    I don't use this particular tower that often these days because of the difficulty of getting it upright - and I'm not getting any younger :) I have my original tower that is more user friendly and I can manage to set it up single handed. I will post this one also for the forum to view.

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    Forum Participant John Cooper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Juan Carlos Vindas View Post
    Mmmm....this is the ultimate hide photograpy John! I guess thatīs a lot of work but the results are fabulous! are you still doing this for bird photography?
    Thanks for your comments Jaun. Yes when indications warrant the trouble of setting up a tower I still use them but usually resort to my original tower that, although not quite as high (20ft rather than 30ft) is much more user friendly ;) Will post that one soon.

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    Interesting set-up John. I like the results you are getting.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi John, thanks for sharing your hide, and what a great image to go with this story. No doubt you have plenty of close up images of this Kestrel family.

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    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    This is a killer image, John. Love seeing the feeding behavior, and it's obvious from this capture that the birds were not stressed. You did a good job with your flash. I wonder if you might be able to smooth out your BG a tad?
    Marina Scarr
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