Wildlife in action #17: Lanner Falcon

[Callie]

The Lanner Falcon physically resembles the Peregrine Falcon in many ways. However, the Lanner Falcon sports a reddish cap on the top of its head, which helps distinguish it from many other similarly-colored falcons. The juvie, quite naturally, does not look like the adult at all, just like raptors are wont to be! Some images from the Kgalagadi TFP. When it rains, water can accumulate in the road, and this water is irresistible for many species of birds and it is a drinking and bathing parlor that cannot be ignored.

Juvie hop-jumping while busy drinking and bathing

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Juvie shake-landing

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Juvie finding a new bath area

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Adult on the hunt

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[Ralph]

The Lanner Falcon physically resembles the Peregrine Falcon in many ways. However, the Lanner Falcon sports a reddish cap on the top of its head, which helps distinguish it from many other similarly-colored falcons. The juvie, quite naturally, does not look like the adult at all, just like raptors are wont to be! Some images from the Kgalagadi TFP. When it rains, water can accumulate in the road, and this water is irresistible for many species of birds and it is a drinking and bathing parlor that cannot be ignored.

Juvie hop-jumping while busy drinking and bathing

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Juvie shake-landing
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Juvie finding a new bath area
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Adult on the hunt
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Gorgeous series Callie Do you use group mode or dynamic?

 

[Callie]

Gorgeous series Callie Do you use group mode or dynamic?

Thanks Ralph! Do you mean what autofocus I shoot on? Always Continious d25 99% of the time with back button. I have group too on the other back button but it only works when the subject is in a blue sky. I seldom change my camera settings;, I use the settings I put in in 2015/16 when I bought the new bodies. The only things I change is Auto ISO when I shoot landscapes, then I switch it off and start @ ISO 64 or 100. The other thing I change is my shutter speed, often, and aperture, sometimes. I shoot nearly 99% f/7.1. I always shoot manual, Auto ISO. I also seldom change lenses. I have 3 bodies and three lenses and that's it! I can do anything I want to with these combinations. I also have a 1.4 TC for the 500 PF when subjects are just too far, which I will use if there is no wind or dust. Again, most of my shooting is from my vehicle or from hides.

 

[Jonathan]

@Callie did you go on a photo trip? You’ve posted so many awesome photos recently! Thanks for sharing

 

[gdecamp]

Great job such an awesome bird too!

 

[Callie]

@Callie did you go on a photo trip? You’ve posted so many awesome photos recently! Thanks for sharing

Thank you, Jonathan - All our holidays are photo trips!
We try to get to a national park once, or twice, a year if we can. Any 10-14 day trip yields 1000's of images. I have images going back to 2004 that I have not looked at properly.
Living in South Africa, with some of the best wildlife parks in the world, makes it possible, if you are lucky, to see and shoot more regularly than someone not living here.

Great job such an awesome bird too!

Thanks George.

 

[K9Kirk]

They always go to where the water is. Nice set, Callie.

 

[Callie]

They always go to where the water is. Nice set, Callie.

Thanks, Kirk!

 

[Ralph]

Thanks Ralph! Do you mean what autofocus I shoot on? Always Continious d25 99% of the time with back button. I have group too on the other back button but it only works when the subject is in a blue sky. I seldom change my camera settings;, I use the settings I put in in 2015/16 when I bought the new bodies. The only things I change is Auto ISO when I shoot landscapes, then I switch it off and start @ ISO 64 or 100. The other thing I change is my shutter speed, often, and aperture, sometimes. I shoot nearly 99% f/7.1. I always shoot manual, Auto ISO. I also seldom change lenses. I have 3 bodies and three lenses and that's it! I can do anything I want to with these combinations. I also have a 1.4 TC for the 500 PF when subjects are just too far, which I will use if there is no wind or dust. Again, most of my shooting is from my vehicle or from hides.

Callie, thanks for the info. I normally shoot BIF with the group setting but I think I’ll give dynamic 25 a try next time I go out. All my other setting are just like yours. I find with group it will grab the wing often and make the eye a little soft. I’ve never really experimented with dynamic but I know many people that use it. My other go to is single point which I have set to the button on my 500 PF.

 

[Art Rourke]

All of those shots are superb.

 

[Callie]

Callie, thanks for the info. I normally shoot BIF with the group setting but I think I’ll give dynamic 25 a try next time I go out. All my other setting are just like yours. I find with group it will grab the wing often and make the eye a little soft. I’ve never really experimented with dynamic but I know many people that use it. My other go to is single point which I have set to the button on my 500 PF.

Ralph, never tried any of the buttons on my 500PF. Maybe i should try it! I have dabbled in a lot of the dynamic numbers long ago, but find the lower ones best, so it is set and forgotten. If I have to set-up the bodies again, I will have to swot-up Steve's book again. I also use the EV settings a lot.

All of those shots are superb.

Thank you Art!

 

[Ralph]

Ralph, never tried any of the buttons on my 500PF. Maybe i should try it! I have dabbled in a lot of the dynamic numbers long ago, but find the lower ones best, so it is set and forgotten. If I have to set-up the bodies again, I will have to swot-up Steve's book again. I also use the EV settings a lot.


Thank you Art!

The button on the 500 PF works great for me. BBAF is set to group for BIF and since the fingers of my left hand are right on top of the 500 PF buttons, it’s real easy to switch To single point.

 

[paul katinas]

The Lanner Falcon physically resembles the Peregrine Falcon in many ways. However, the Lanner Falcon sports a reddish cap on the top of its head, which helps distinguish it from many other similarly-colored falcons. The juvie, quite naturally, does not look like the adult at all, just like raptors are wont to be! Some images from the Kgalagadi TFP. When it rains, water can accumulate in the road, and this water is irresistible for many species of birds and it is a drinking and bathing parlor that cannot be ignored.

Juvie hop-jumping while busy drinking and bathing

View attachment 82527

Juvie shake-landing
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Juvie finding a new bath area
View attachment 82529

Adult on the hunt
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View attachment 82531

Fantastic set of images Callie.
Happy trails.

 

[Irap]

Super series Callie!

 

[Callie]

Fantastic set of images Callie.
Happy trails.

Thanks, Paul!

Super series Callie!

Thank you, Ira!

 

[marc]

Another great series Callie, love these guys!

 

[Callie]

Another great series Callie, love these guys!

Thanks, Marc!