This is a shot from my July 29, 2015 outing at the Ridgefield NWR on a bright, sunny morning. While driving on the auto tour road I noticed a bird landing near the top of a nearby tree. My first inclination was it must be a Flicker. I stopped and stepped out of the truck for this one, shooting hand held at a steep angle. The bird, of course, is an American Kestrel, which I typically see on a refuge sign or post. The bird may be a young one. The steep, diagonal orientation of the perch caught my eye on this one.
Canon 5D Mark III, 1/1600, f5.6, ISO 640, 700mm, 7:46 a.m.
Wonderful picture. Doe look like a young one.