![\"swainson's](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/swainsons-hawk-8871-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhenever I catch this posture at takeoff I’m always impressed by the physical effort and athletic ability required to become airborne. The timing between push-off with the legs, the first downbeat of the wings and the spreading of the tail must be immaculate. And it all requires great strength.<\/p>\n
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\u00a01\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 1600, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon<\/em> EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, canvas added for composition,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This light morph Swainson’s Hawk was perch-hunting yesterday morning in a small valley adjacent to the Centennial Valley when it spotted prey and took off downhill. There was very little light but I needed plenty of shutter speed thus the high ISO setting and noise in the background. The bird pursued prey on the far side of the hill but it came out of the grasses empty-taloned and then returned to this same perch.<\/p>\n Hopefully when I return home and have decent internet access I’ll be able to tell the rest of the story of this bird with more photos and text. For now that’s an impossible task.<\/p>\n Today I drive 300 miles further north to camp out at the family farm and attend my 50th high school reunion. Another adventure begins…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n PS – I wish you all could have seen the stars this morning at\u00a04 AM. They were incredible!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Whenever I catch this posture at takeoff I’m always impressed by the physical effort and athletic ability required to become airborne.<\/p>\n