![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/horned-lark-3892b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"horned-lark-3892b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nYesterday morning I mostly succeeded in getting what has been an inexplicably difficult shot for me.<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, 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 Horned Larks can be relatively easy to photograph while perched but it’s a bugger to try to get them taking off or in flight. I’m convinced that’s because they’re somehow faster than other songbirds their size and they almost never signal their takeoff. For me “air shots” are the rule when I try to get them taking off and it’s almost a victory when the only part of their body I keep in the frame is the fast-disappearing tip of their tail.<\/p>\n But yesterday morning on Antelope Island I got (mostly) lucky and kept this male completely in frame by somehow anticipating his takeoff. My luck continued when I caught him an a posture I like very much, had light in his eye and his takeoff angle was darned close to perfect. There was lots of potentially obstructing vegetation near the perch so my last bit of luck was getting a clear view of him with nothing particularly distracting in the background.<\/p>\n But I ran out of luck in the sharpness department because the bird is a little soft. Not bad but definitely noticeable.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I’m finally seeing bits of green on Antelope Island and birds are beginning to pick up. Magpies are building nests, abundant meadowlarks are singing on territory and I’m even hearing and seeing a few Chukars. Sage Thrashers, Lark Sparrows and Long-billed Curlews shouldn’t be far behind and then Willets should show up. Mama pronghorn will pop in May.<\/p>\n Things are looking up but given the dismal water situation in the Great Salt Lake I don’t think we’ll see the “glory days” on the island again in my lifetime, if ever. We can thank Utah politicians for that.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note: A bird photographer’s luck on the island comes in varying flavors. Yesterday morning (while I was on the island myself) friend and blog follower April Olsen found a $10 bill on one of the trails. <\/em><\/p>\n Congrats, April – with your run of luck lately you definitely had it coming. Now go out and buy that new lens. Or a couple of them!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yesterday morning I mostly succeeded in getting what has been an inexplicably difficult shot for me.<\/p>\n