[interested_observer]

I'm going out tonight to shoot the Milky Way. First time in 2 weeks we have not been clouded in, and I only have about another 4 days in this window to shoot - and several locations I want to get to.

• So, I went out to pre-focus my lens. I went up to this little cul-de-sac on the hillside, where I can get an unobstructed shot of several miles. Was focusing and I heard above me a couple of hawks screeching at me, while circling. Looked up only to hear some what of a crash a couple of feet away in the brush. Their wingspan of easily 5 feet across - so they were actually Golden Eagles, probably a nesting pair from up on the hillside. The crash - well the remains of their dinner - an eaten snake. I think that I got the message, that I'm not welcome back to the hillside. [image 1] No way to get an image of the eagles with a 15-30.

• Several weeks ago, we had ordered up a dumpster, as I wanted to get rid of most all of our cactus. About 1,000+ square feet or so. I was out hacking it and digging out the roots, when a large lizard ran out. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught and turned to watch a small hawk or Kestrel swoop down and grab the large lizard (actually the more I look at it - its a Kestrel ). The lizard squirmed out and dropped to the ground, running quickly into the jumping cholla. The Kestrel circled and then landed on an arm of a surago cactus, sitting there for a while waiting for another chance. I was actually able to get an image (not a very good one). [image 2] Note - my hat is off to those of you who can shoot birds-in-flight, and even birds sitting still.

• My wife in the last couple of weeks, after being here for almost 30 years, saw a couple of Roadrunner dash across the street. About a foot tall and 2 feet long. She now tells me that she needs to come with me more often since I have all the opportunities.

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[Wheel Watch]

I have one of those Kestrels always going after my local desert spiny lizard. Spiny is quick though and ducks away every time. If my better half saw that snake falling out of the sky the hikes would be over, dead or not!

[interested_observer]

That's a great shot!!! At 250mm that was the best I could do handheld, and it still was not sharp. I went in for a tripod, but it was gone by the time I came back out. Perhaps, next time. I should probably go back up to the cul-de-sac on the hillside and push my luck a bit with a long lens and see what I can get....

[UncleVanya]

What lens did you use at 250mm on the kestrel?

[Wheel Watch]

That's a great shot!!! At 250mm that was the best I could do handheld, and it still was not sharp. I went in for a tripod, but it was gone by the time I came back out. Perhaps, next time. I should probably go back up to the cul-de-sac on the hillside and push my luck a bit with a long lens and see what I can get....

Thank you. I do not know if I would go back to the cul-de-sac with snakes dropping out of the sky! I was lucky with the kestrel, he was perched on the top of a tree during a windy day. Just had to wait him out.

[interested_observer]

What lens did you use at 250mm on the kestrel?

I used the 60-250. I like it a lot. I went back in to get the tripod and the 1.4x TC but it had already taken off.