![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/western-scrub-jay-5666-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"western-scrub-jay-5666-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Western Scrub Jays have been a difficult subject for me over the years because in the mountain foothills where I usually encounter them they’re extremely skittish. This one gave me a few seconds at fairly close range in the Stansbury Mountains and though it’s only a documentary shot I was still happy to get it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n The moment of launch of a Western Meadowlark on Antelope Island. Meadowlark “armpits” often seem to be\u00a0largely devoid of feathers which in other species is mostly only a condition of recently fledged birds – one of those little species\u00a0quirks that I’ve never quite understood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/7.1, ISO 800, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n For me this is a charming pose from the Lark Sparrow because of its squatted down posture and droopy wings.\u00a0For a passerine this bird seemed extremely relaxed and I like that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n For me it’s been a slow year for Burrowing Owls so far and when I do find a cooperative one it’s usually been\u00a0on a metal fence post – a perch that has no appeal for me. But I like this perch because it’s barely recognizable as a fence post (which it is) and the wood is about as old and\u00a0weathered as it can get. And I think the muddy feet add character.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/5000, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n This is a grab shot of an American White Pelican that turned out fairly well. I had my lens trained on a Short-eared Owl on a fence when this bird suddenly appeared from the south so I quickly aimed and shot. I was lucky to get proper exposure on the bird because I had no time to adjust camera settings.<\/p>\n About an hour after this shot was taken in the Promontory area of Box Elder County I had a completely unexpected opportunity that didn’t involve birds. Orbital ATK has a huge rocket\u00a0test facility in the area and they tested some kind of rocket motor\u00a0while I was perhaps five miles from the facility and it really got my attention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n