![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/chukar-9330-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"chukar-9330-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nA pudgy Chukar trying to look streamlined is an effort doomed to failure.<\/p>\n
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1\/1000, f\/9, ISO 500, 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 Several years ago I photographed this Chukar perched on a large Tintic Quartzite boulder on Antelope Island. ‘He’ had been lazily warming up in the morning sun but when he eventually decided it was time to leave the rock he preceded his exit by loosening up with a languid wing and leg stretch.<\/p>\n I find the pose amusing because he’s a chubby Chukar (apologies to the singer) and it looks like he’s trying to appear streamlined which for this portly species is an effort doomed to failure. When I think about it I believe this was the only time I’ve seen this particular pose from a Chukar.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1000, f\/9, ISO 500, 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 When he’d completed his stretching routine he walked to the edge of the rock and jumped off into the grasses below.<\/p>\n These Tintic Quartzite rocks so common on the north third of the island are a challenge for the photographer because they’re so very white and bright. For these photos I had to do some selective processing for exposure to bring those whites down a little. On the other hand I really like the soft and wispy bokeh<\/a><\/span><\/span> of the sagebrush in the background. My lens is known for rendering pleasing bokeh.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On another subject: I bitch and moan about our ongoing drought so often I feel like I should report on our recent and extremely welcome change in the weather. Yesterday it rained lightly for the entire day, enough to give much of the Salt Lake Valley up to an inch of much needed moisture. And very early this morning it snowed for long enough to lay down about an inch of the white stuff on my deck.<\/p>\n Maybe this spring and early summer we’ll have some green in this desert after all.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A pudgy Chukar trying to look streamlined is an effort doomed to failure.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/chukar-9362-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"chukar-9362-ron-dudley\\"")
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