![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/northern-harrier-9755-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"northern-harrier-9755-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nI pay attention to the alulae in my photos of birds in flight and this one caught my eye.<\/p>\n
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1\/8000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, 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 Northern Harrier three weeks ago at Bear River MBR. She was hunting the phrag edges along one of the canals when I managed to get several sharp shots of her in a short burst. I posted some of them last month but this one is new to my blog.<\/p>\n Notice the shape and attack angle of the alula on her left wing. Typically the alulae (winglets or “bastard wings”) are held tightly against the leading edge of the wing and appear to be part of it, as we see with her right wing. When they’re extended forward (deployed) briefly during slow flight their function is to provide additional lift.<\/p>\n Usually they’re extended forward at the same attack angle as the wing (or very close to it) but this one appears to be dipped down at such a steep angle it would almost function as an air brake for that wing. And its shape seems to be somehow oddly different than I’ve seen in the past, more rounded and perhaps even slightly concave or saucer shaped instead of shaped like a typical air foil.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It isn’t unusual to have only one of the two alulae deployed as we see here with this hovering adult male Northern Harrier. This is the shape and attack angle of a deployed alula that I’m used to seeing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here’s a closer look at the female’s left alula in the first photo. Apparently it was only kept in this shape and at this attack angle for an instant because…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n in the next shot in the burst one tenth of a second later it had returned to its “normal” shape, position and attack angle.<\/p>\n I hesitate to speculate about the reason for what I think<\/em> I’m seeing in the first photo. It could be a number of things or I suppose it’s possible that I think I’m seeing something I’m not (though I really doubt that).<\/p>\n Perhaps it’s inconsequential but I noticed it so I had to point it out.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I pay attention to the alulae in my photos of birds in flight and this one caught my eye.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/northern-harrier-1079-red-arrow-on-alula-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"northern-harrier-1079-red-arrow-on-alula-ron-dudley\\""){kind=icon}
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