21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Kestrel Diving For Bugs

A male Kestrel is diving from a juniper tree at insects on the ground below a cliff that is out of my view. He would catch a bug and immediately fly back to a tree top, eat the bug and dive again. I had several chances to capture the diving flight. I assumed there was some sort of hatch or gathering of bugs.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: near Redmond OR, Oregon, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © charlie baughman