Excellent photos and reflections, Farah! I've found myself taking more walks and photos this year. Connecting with nature feels so essential when the world is spiraling out of control.
Your kestrel looks much like a red-shouldered hawk that I photographed yesterday. He turned and gave me the same look!
If you plan on walking and taking photos more often, I’d like to invite you to join my Photo-a-Day Challenge on Snapshots. It’s been going on since July. Some people participate regularly, others when they feel like it. The idea is to use your camera as a type of meditation to connect with your world and then share that world with others. It is not a contest for the best photos!
A couple of my posts are below. If you are interested, I’ll add you as a contributor to Snapshots (I am a co-editor).