Sometimes it’s hard to assign motivation or intention to a behavior, especially when it involves an ungainly and inexperienced young bird.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This juvenile Mountain Bluebird is a case in point. ‘He’ and several of his siblings were still with their parents as the family group foraged on and near a dirt road in the mountains yesterday morning. Here he had landed on a metal fence post and was watching the rest of his family as they flew around the area and foraged for food at the base of sagebrush and on the dirt road.
I don’t remember what I saw him do that made me fire off a quick burst of shots but it must have been some indication that he was about to take off and since I’m hard-wired for takeoff shots that’s what I did.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This was the first shot in that burst and I love it, in part because it’s so unusual.
My best guess is that he intended to take off and then aborted the takeoff at the very last instant as suggested by his tail and wing positions. But his legs and feet aren’t pushing off against the perch as one would expect during takeoff so I’m really not sure what his original intention was. Maybe he really did intend to take off and at his young age he hadn’t yet integrated all of the sequential motions required for takeoff into his muscle memory.
This is what I would call the ‘money shot’ of the series but I’m including the next three photos in the burst because they provide more clues about what may have been happening.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
If his original intention was to take off he abandoned the effort and appeared to watch…
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
one of his family members flying directly overhead. Perhaps it was one of his parents and he was hoping for a food delivery or maybe he was just interacting with one of his siblings.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I strongly suspect it was one or the other but I had my eye glued to my viewfinder so I didn’t see the other presumed bird flying overhead.
Viewers might ask “Who cares what his original intention was – all that matters is that you got the photos, especially the money shot”. The answer to that rhetorical question is… I care. I’d have missed that shot if I hadn’t been able to anticipate his near-takeoff and anticipating the lightning-quick actions of birds usually requires at least some understanding of their behaviors and/or their motivations.
Whatever he did that suggested takeoff was imminent I recognized it in time so I got the shot. Birds often give clues about what they’re about to do and if you don’t recognize them you’re just SOL.
Ron
PS – In case you’re wondering, yes I’m feeling much better after my horrendous root canal. Time and Advil are performing their magic.
Wonderful “money shot!” I still am trying to master a way to anticipate the takeoff. Just yesterday I was watching a Pileated Woodpecker and knew I might get a flight shot. Was just switching my focus settings to center 3×3 and stepped-up burst rate just as it launched and flew directly overhead! Darn!
Your money shot reminds me of my fan (oh…our hot days!) the beauty of it when it’s fully open 😍
Love it
Thank you, Diana.
Huge smiles.
On both fronts.
Pain (particularly chronic pain) outsucks Dyson. I am glad yours is backing off.
And I adore that photographic series. Add me to those who say ‘of course it matters why’, while being stunned/intrigued/fascinated by the beauty of the money shot.
Thanks, EC. After five days of it was beginning to seem like it was chronic. I can’t imagine folks having to live with pain like that every day but some do.
A very fun, exciting capture.
Thanks, April.
Woweewowwowwow! That second shot is amazing! I’m definitely getting “maestro” vibes — this bird is better looking than any conductor I’ve played under! 😂 I also really like the last shot. I think it’s the peek-a-boo nature of the blues that really tickles my fancy.
Premature post-u-lation. I meant to add that I’m so glad you’re feeling better today! ❤️
“Premature post-u-lation” – you do have a way with words!
I used to make the English teachers in my Small Learning Community (“school within a school’) cringe often. 😈😎
Thanks, Marty. He’s a looker in that shot isn’t he.
Who cares about the original intention? Well, I care! Call me a bird nerd if you want to, and you’d be right, but the behavioral aspect is just as fascinating as their physical beauty and overall gorgeousness! Perhaps even moreso!
Catching that behavior REQUIRES the ability to anticipate when that behavior is going to happen and you just ROCK at that. I’ve learned to anticipate what the hawks are going to do and that’s absolutely necessary to keeping up with where the’re going to go and what they’re going to do. And if I’m not paying attention, they can flat disappear. That’s BAD! The downside is that my eye/attention is now ALWAYS drawn to movement–any movement. Yes, that helps a lot while driving, but sometimes it can be annoying, like when my eye is constantly drawn to the SAME movement that doesn’t have anything to do with hawks, birds, dogs, critters, and the stupid moves of other drivers.
The money shot is just spectacular! The feather colors and detail, well, just WOW!! And yes, I noticed that you didn’t kvetch about the metal pole or that stick sticking up. YAY for YOU!
DELIGHTED to hear your pain is subsiding! Chronic pain just sucks and the part I really hate is how much it saps your energy. I’d never have believed that but it’s TRUE!!
Laura, you know me and behaviors. I agree with you.
And yes, pain saps your energy. Yesterday afternoon my pain was subsiding but I was drained and exhausted from enduring it.
So many of your photos reveal how a seemingly drab bird is glorious with wings extended.
However, rather than an aborted take off, my adolescent sense of humor says that this is a most elegant pre-poop posture.
“Tail up, wings out…uh, never mind.”
Ha, not likely Lyle. As I’m sure you’re aware that “tail up” is most likely intended to stop his forward motion so he doesn’t fall off the perch.
I particularly love the second photo…like a shawl extended with blue on view! So glad you are better!! I had a root pulled a couple of months ago and yikes what an ordeal. OK now..bon courage to you!
I like your shawl analogy, Mary. Thank you.
Fabulous money shot Ron! Suggestion – paint the metal post with a finish that pleases your eye. It’s a great perch for the birds!
Kathleen, to be honest no metal post, no matter its color, pleases my eye very much in my bird photos.
Oh My! I’ve never seen a shot like that! It is fantastic. Who would think the feathers would line up like that. Exceptional color and sense of motion. That definitely deserves to be a favorite. 😍 Love those little black feet too. 🙂
Kathy, one thing that helped with that shot is since he’s a very young bird his feathers are fresh and beautiful.
That second shot is spectacular. Looks like the start of a dance. Or he’s raising the baton … I can almost hear the orchestra begin! Beautiful!
Ha, now I’ll probably anticipate the music every time I look at that shot. Thanks, Jamila.
Beautiful! 🙂 The position of the wings and the color contrasts are, indeed, a “money shot”…….. The old metal post with a bit of color does add to the photo….. Beautiful shot of an otherwise fairly drab bird at this point…. 🙂
Glad you’re on the mend!………
Thanks, Judy – on both counts.
Your “money shot” made me exclaim out loud– it’s gorgeous…. Even the
worn paint on the perch-post added its little note of harmonious color—
altogether a real winner, and more interesting for the subject being
an immature–the deep taupes and light grays really accent the brilliant
blues– I think this combination is much more stunning than an all-blue adult
coloration ! Your instincts and reaction time were clearly intact despite your
dental ordeal……….
I’m glad you like that shot, Kris. I think it’s pretty special – notice that I didn’t even complain about the metal post… 🙂
What a marvelous shot. I particularly like that the color of the tail is so evident. Great way to start my morning.
Thanks very much, Arwen.
I’ve been on two commercial airline aborted takeoffs and they don’t look as pretty as this guy’s. Great photos and nice series. Hope you are feeling ok and that the pain has subsided considerably.
Thanks for your concern, Everett. After yesterday’s post I should have given an update on my root canal in my post. So, I just added one. Thanks for the reminder.