A Small Movement on the Field

As I walked along the edge of one of these fields, something moved on the soil. At first I thought it was another pigeon or crow — typical “city wildlife.” But the movement felt different, more deliberate. That’s when I realised it was a kestrel.

I’m still new to wildlife photography, so seeing something other than sparrows, crows, or ducks already feels exciting. I don’t use a hide or camouflage — it was just me, the cold air brushing against my hands, and the hope that I wouldn’t scare the bird away.

To my surprise, the kestrel stayed on the ground, moving carefully and almost silently. The only sounds were the wind sliding through the leftover plants and the soft crunch of soil under my shoes. Then, without warning, it opened its wings slightly and hopped onto the mound. The movement was quick — just the soft whisper of feathers — and suddenly the whole frame shifted.

From this new angle the kestrel stood out cleanly against the blurred browns and greens of the field. A moment later it turned a bit more, showing the warm colours on its back and head. The light wasn’t great — flat and hazy, typical for this time of year — but the scene felt true to that afternoon, the kind where the world seems muted but completely at ease.

This became my favourite frame. The kestrel looked calm but alert, as if it had accepted me as part of the landscape for a minute or two. Eventually it took off with a quiet flap of its wings. Before disappearing fully behind the next field, it walked slowly across the ground, giving me one last photo from a lower angle — slightly softer, but still part of the moment.

About the Species — The Common Kestrel

The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is one of the most widespread raptors in Europe. They often hover in place while hunting, scanning fields and meadows for mice or insects, using their sharp vision to spot tiny movements. Despite being familiar, they’re not always easy to approach in open fields, so seeing one stay so calm on the ground felt special. Their patient, focused behaviour while searching for prey matched exactly what I saw that afternoon.

Photography Details

For this little encounter I used the Tamron 150–600 G2. I kept the shutter fast enough to freeze the kestrel’s small movements and worked at around f/8 — wide enough to keep the background soft, but still giving me enough depth of field to keep the whole bird in focus. The light was flat and the air hazy, so in editing I kept the colours close to how the afternoon really looked, adding only light sharpening and small tonal adjustments to keep all four photos consistent.

Final Thoughts

This short encounter made an ordinary recovery walk feel meaningful. It reminded me that even in places I cross almost every day — fields I normally just pass by on a bike or during quick errands — there’s still something wild happening right next to me. I just need to slow down long enough to notice it. For someone new to wildlife photography, it was also a small boost of confidence. Not perfect conditions, not perfect timing, but a quiet moment that stayed with me — exactly the kind of surprise that makes carrying a camera on simple walks worth it.

If you like these small wildlife encounters, you might also enjoy a similar late-autumn moment I wrote about earlier — another quiet visitor that surprised me in an ordinary place.

Have you ever had a small wildlife moment like this — something quiet and unexpected that stayed with you? I’d love to read your story.