![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/long-billed-curlew-0319b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"long-billed-curlew-0319b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nA combination of flight posture and background that I really like.<\/p>\n
Six days ago I posted a couple of photos of this male Long-billed Curlew on Antelope Island, saying that I managed to get about a half dozen photos of him in flight even though I was actually driving about 10 mph on the deserted road when I took them. I should have looked at them more carefully before I chose which ones to post because there’s another one I like even more, partly because the curlew’s flight posture is one I seldom get from any species.<\/p>\n
So I chose to post it today as a standalone.<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n When birds are attempting to increase their flight speed they often assume this “wings swept forward” posture in an attempt to scoop more air prior to completing the back\/down stroke. But in my experience, especially with raptors, the wing usually hides all or part of their head so I seldom get photos of this posture that I like. This photo is an exception.<\/p>\n His flight posture, combined with the beautiful blues and horizontal banding of the Great Salt Lake in the background, make the photo stand out for me. The curlew’s head, bill and eye are visible, he’s sharp, I have light in his eye and his unusually long bill only adds to all of the other horizontal elements in the image, an effect that I like.<\/p>\n Throw in the fact that this shot, and the others I got, were grab shots taken while my pickup was still moving and you have ample evidence as to why the photo stands out for me. Shots like this don’t come along every day.<\/p>\n Not with me they don’t.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A combination of flight posture and background that I really like.<\/p>\n