And a medical question.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I found this presumed female (based on size) immature Ferruginous Hawk almost exactly four years ago in western Utah. She was relaxed and quite cooperative before she eventually took off. It may look like she’s screaming at me but when this photo was taken she was attempting to throw a pellet. She tried twice, without success.
At first I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to document her casting a pellet but when I got home I realized that I’d been lucky in another way. The photo was taken soon after sunrise and her wide-open mouth was pointed almost directly at the rising sun over my left shoulder. So the interior of her mouth is very well lit, rather than being in deep shadow and showing little detail as would usually be the case. It may not be a flattering pose but capturing clinical details like that always pleases me.
My title may or may not make much sense to my younger readers. During an exam, do doctors still routinely ask their patients to open their mouth and “say aah”, before sticking a tongue depressor a half-mile down their throat?
I can’t remember the last time I was asked to do so. Which is fine by me.
Ron
Ron,
Yes, it lifts the palate and gives a better view of the back of the throat and tonsillar pillars, etc. I will admit that the younger generation of physicians may not be a thorough as my generation, but nevertheless that is the reason for it, especially in pediatrics (frequent complaints of colds and sore throats). So older patients may not be asked so frequently to do so… unless looking for oral cancers, and you don’t want that!
Best,
Stephen
“Would you like to see how BIG I can open my huge mouth? Here, watch!!”
🙂
Unique shot! Love it! And thanks to you, I recognized that yellow gape as being a sign of this Ferrug having yet to reach adulthood.
I have mixed feelings about the whole wooden stick thing. The “say ahh” aspect can be less than enjoyable (no ahh, but a tongue depressor the last time I had a really bad sore throat), but the ubiquitous little wooden spoon that accompanied the cup of strawberry or chocolate ice milk (sundae) was the BEST!
I’d forgotten about that wooden spoon with ice cream, Marty. And you’re right, those spoons tasted a helluva lot better than tongue depressors.
Looking like an Angry Bird because she can’t get that miserable pellet up! That is a classic shot, glad you posted it.
I’m guessing you may still have bad (snowy) weather while we’ve got wailing (and I mean howling) winds today. Trade ya! 🌬️😣
Chris, I wouldn’t trade much of anything for wind, I hate it.
However, it’s sunny here today. But very cold.
Fabulous shot!
Just the thought of that tongue depressor on my tongue makes me gag! The smell and the feel of the wood – ick! (Although they are useful for all kinds of other things: ie scrapers, knives, etc. and that’s ok.)
Carolyn, you’re absolutely right about how they smelled and the feel of the wood on your tongue.
I suspect that doctors would love to see that clear and unobstructed view. And it is years since I have heard that phrase.
Me too, EC – probably more than 50 years.
Have you published her before? This shot – agree with Dan – is priceless!!!Absolutely love the facial expression. What a capture Ron! Love!!
Kathleen, four years ago I posted a different photo of her that was very similar to this one. I posted some other photos of her that day too.
That expression is priceless!
At my last doctor’s visit she wanted to look down my throat but no need to say ahhh and no stick.
“No stick” is the best part. I hated that thing, but then I gag easily.
In “The Sunshine Boys,” in the “doctor sketch” one of the props is an “aaah stick” 😉
My doctor still looks at my throat every year but doesn’t use an “aaah stick”—-she just shines a light in there.
“aaah stick” – that’s a new one for me, Sue. I like it (as long as it isnt going down my throat).
Now there is a unique photo that I have never seen before.
Well, I am old enough to recall the words of the family doctor just before getting that wide popsicle stick stuck down my throat. Maybe that is just a phrase reserved for kids.
Maybe, Michael. I don’t think I’ve heard it from a doctor since I was a teenager.
Super shot!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks.
“What are you doing here? I told you never to come back to this area and for sure don’t ever try taking my photos again” !!!!!! “Oh, I’m sorry, it’s you Ron, I did’t recognize you at first.”
That’s a keeper Ron – don’t get opportunities like this very often.
I’m thinking you have taken a lot of photos of birds on that same torn up post?
Everett, I’m sure I’ve photographed a couple of other raptors on that post but not very many.
Looks like me addressing my neighbor’s cats when I catch them
lurking under my bird feeder……..
🙂
Great capture of her mouth! Hopefully she was eventually able to cast the pellet – that could be a real problem I suspect!
I rarely have that “open your mouth” in recent years also…… 😉
Judy, as far as I can recall, I haven’t had a doctor ask me to do it since I was a kid. Back then they always required it.
HaHaHa… Great Photo & memory recall. I remember those words well.
Thanks, CJ. I haven’t had a cold or significant respiratory infection since I retired from the classroom 20 years ago. That’s probably part of the reason I haven’t been asked to “say aah’ for so many years.