![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/sage-thrasher-4291ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"sage-thrasher-4291ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nI pride myself on my ability to predict bird behaviors but as they say,\u00a0pride goeth before a fall.<\/p>\n
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1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 1600, 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 A few days ago I spent some time with a variety of birds perched\u00a0on a wild rose, including this Sage Thrasher. ‘He’\u00a0allowed me many photos while he was facing toward my left and my little mind was\u00a0whirling\u00a0because I wanted a takeoff shot\u00a0with\u00a0him leaving the perch in that exact direction. I hoped he wouldn’t turn on\u00a0the perch and face toward my right before taking off because the branch and rose hips on the right would likely be in front of the bird.<\/p>\n But he\u00a0split the difference\u00a0and turned to face me before he took off so I was prepared for a head-on flight shot or one taking off to my left. I ignored the possibility that he might take off to my right just because I didn’t want him to. That was a mistake.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 1600, 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 In an instant he\u00a0used one wing to help him\u00a0twist even further to my right and take off in that direction. Largely because of the asymmetrical posture I really like this photo but…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 1600, 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 butchered the bird at\u00a0takeoff because I didn’t leave enough room in that direction.<\/p>\n I wish I’d thought more carefully about what takeoff in this direction might look like and left enough room in the frame\u00a0over there for the thrasher. If I hadn’t clipped the bird and if I’d been lucky enough to catch the wings open I think I might have loved a shot with the branch and rose hips in front of the bird – the rose hips\u00a0could have added\u00a0a colorful, interesting and somewhat unique\u00a0dimension to the image that I hadn’t even considered.<\/p>\n Next time I hope to think it through better and maybe I’ll get lucky. After all I do get lucky once in a while.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n Note: Once again I was blown away by the speed, agility and athletic ability of a\u00a0small bird. Notice where his right foot is in the second and third photos. In the 1\/10th of a second between those two shots he moved that foot from one place on the narrow perch to another on the other side of an obstructing twig in order to use the foot to push\u00a0off. And he did it during an explosive takeoff without even looking where he was placing the foot. <\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/sage-thrasher-4355-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"sage-thrasher-4355-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/sage-thrasher-4356ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"sage-thrasher-4356ron-dudley\\"")
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