I’m not sure who was more startled, me or the flicker.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Three days ago I spent some time in the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City and found this female Northern Flicker perched high on a tree at the top of a hill. Given the steep angle and messy setting I knew my best chance for a shot or two I’d like was to get her taking off so I kept my lens on her for a while.
Around here flickers are generally jumpy and difficult to approach and this one was quite nervous though she did stay on the perch for a minute or so. Several times she bent her head down and looked straight down into the tree below her but I didn’t think much about it at the time and didn’t fire off any shots of her in that posture because her face was always hidden when she did it.
But the last time she looked down something down there scared the livin’ poop out of her and her reaction was to take off explosively and…
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
backwards!
Here her body posture might be a little difficult to interpret – we’re seeing her topside including the top of the flashing white rump exhibited by all flickers. In her panicked reaction to something that scared her (that something was apparently in the tree below her) she was still going mostly backwards when this shot was taken. Her head is hidden by her left wing.
Obviously I wasn’t prepared for this angle of takeoff so even with my teleconverter removed I cut off half of her body in the next shot.
Curious to know what scared her I carefully inspected the tree below her for the culprit in several of my uncropped images. I wondered if it might be a snake in the tree (gopher snakes are common around here and they’re expert tree climbers) but I couldn’t spot anything potentially threatening.
So I’ll never know what startled her so severely but her reaction gave me a photo of one of the weirdest takeoffs I’ve ever seen – especially from a bird this size or larger.
Ron
PS – Obviously this photo’s only attraction is the unusual takeoff angle and posture of the flicker. I’d classify it as a “novelty shot” but I’m not above novelty shots when they amuse me.
Maybe you had to be there…
At need they can take off backwards as well? Slinking away feeling totally inadequate.
Pretty impressive, huh?
We are not worthy (said in my best “Wayne and Garth” voices!)
I have seen a kestrel do the same quick evacuation move, it let out a call too. I tried to see what startled the kestrel but did not see anything in the thick Russian olive foliage. Keen sight and speed can save your life. I guess I am glad I am not prey!
Yes, quick reactions are very helpful on either end of the food chain, April – predator or prey.
Timing is everything!
You were in the right place to catch an unusual event, that’s for sure! Which, once again, shows how we should always be prepared for a shot even though we might not be sure if we’ll take one.
I was going to be indelicate and mention something about her getting a good look at the scary photographer – but I won’t go there…..
Yup, that could have been it too, Wally! 🙂
Even with your explanation, interpreting this crazy shot is hard for me…looks like bird is leaping backwards…it’s almost as if the branch gave it an electric shock….I might do the same if I unexpectedly saw a snake–but you say there wasn’t one….
No, I’m not saying there wasn’t one, just that I couldn’t see it if it was there.
That’s how I woke up this morning don’t laugh 😆 after getting up at 4am to watch the Royal wedding ❗️ Love
the shots that put a smile on my face.
Happy Day
Thank you, Diana.
That is a pretty amazing shot. I’m guessing that birds don’t often take off that way. When I zoomed in on the photo I was able to see that I was looking at her back side, but having the photo large is the only way I could tell that. Too bad we’ll never know what spooked her.
“I’m guessing that birds don’t often take off that way”
I don’t remember seeing it before, Susan (except in hummingbirds) and I spend a lot of time with birds of various species.
Just the story is funny. With the pictures it becomes hysterical
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Arwen. Thanks.
I can imagine there was some “startled” at both ends of the camera! Good on you for having the wherewithal to hit the button and get such a coolamatious shot. I wonder if there was an actual threat in the tree or if the movement of a twig or insect just freaked her out. Makes me think of the way a cat or kitten will suddenly lose it and pop straight up at something from its own imagination — I had a couple in this last batch of fosters that would fo that, much to my amusement. (BTW, my “Golden Girls” kittens went back to the shelter Thursday afternoon and one is already adopted. Yay! I get the new batch in a couple days.)
Your comparison to cats works very well, Marty. I remember thinking the same thing when it happened.
Looks like she was shot out of one of those things they use to shoot t-shirts to the fans at basketball games. Whatever it was, she was definitely in a hurry. Fun shot Ron. Have a good weekend.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Thanks, Everett. It was definitely a panicked takeoff.
Looks like it was a ‘YIKES’ moment! 🙂 (I thought perhaps a snake in the tree also !)
Kathy, there could have been a snake down there that I just couldn’t see.
WOW! Glad you explained “which end was up” on this photo – I was somewhat stumped! They are spooky here as well – good thing as metallic ribbons in the breeze has stopped one intent on building a nest hole in our cedar siding this spring!
“Glad you explained “which end was up” on this photo”.
I had to study that shot for a minute to figure it out myself, Judy.
“Breeze”? Not sure I remember Montana breezes when I lived there – they were mostly howling winds… 🙂
Wellllllll it’s all relative 😉