![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/ferruginous-hawk-5743-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"ferruginous-hawk-5743-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nThis is a flight posture I\u00a0rarely post.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 320, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I photographed this Ferruginous Hawk on June 2 of last year in Tooele County. The hawk had recently taken off (3 frames earlier) which is apparent by its trailing and still partially lowered\u00a0feet. Part of the appeal of this image for me is the background – the Stansbury Mountains below and blue sky above.<\/p>\n Generally with raptor flight shots I prefer their wings in an up or down position, partly because those positions are more dramatic than horizontal wings. But there’s another reason for that preference – with large, long-winged birds (this species has a wingspan approaching 5′) and with my lens I seldom have enough depth of field to get their wingtips even close to sharp when they’re in this position. Blurry wingtips just don’t have much appeal for me.<\/p>\n But for some reason I can’t adequately explain both wingtips of this hawk are sharp and I liked that enough to post the image despite the wing position that tends to not be my favorite. For me the curled primaries are a bonus.<\/p>\n And besides, it’s a Ferrug! I don’t get many chances with them, especially in flight.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n