Tag: alulae
The Next Shot In The Series After Yesterday’s Kingfisher Photo
Snowy Egret Stalking And Striking At A… I Don’t Know What It Is!
I always enjoy mysteries in my photos like this one, especially when they involve bird behaviors. And sometimes my readers even solve them for me.
Belted Kingfisher In A Takeoff/Flight Posture I Like Very Much
Yesterday I had a good morning in the mountains. I documented interesting behaviors from several species and I was even able to get a few photos I like.
Canada Goose Serendipity
I can like photos of any bird species no matter how common and believe it or not I actually got a flight shot I like yesterday, despite our inversion and gunky air.
Two Views Of The Beautiful Backside Of A Male American Kestrel In Flight
It’s rare for me to post photos of birds where neither their eye or their face can be seen. But sometimes it’s the plumage that steals the show and for me male kestrels rule the raptor roost when it comes to spectacular colors and patterns.
Male Rough-legged Hawk With A Flight Posture I Like Very Much
Yesterday morning I had to drive about 100 miles north before I escaped the foggy, smoggy mess in the valleys that we call air during these extended inversions. This beautiful hawk was one of my rewards.
Adult Bald Eagle On Landing Approach
For some reason I don’t see, or at least notice, the alulae (bastard wings) on eagles very often.
A Landing American Kestrel
Photos of birds as they land are a challenge, especially when your subject is a quick little falcon.
Red-tailed Hawk In Flight With Nesting Material
I seldom photograph raptors with nesting material because I won’t closely approach their nests but I got lucky with this female Red-tailed Hawk.
American Kestrel – An Unusual View Of The Alulae (bastard wings)
Recently I photographed a male American Kestrel in the middle of a wing-stretch and that pose really put his alulae on display.
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk (and a question of photographic ethics)
A Different Look At The Alula (bastard wing)
Yesterday morning a Rough-legged Hawk gave me a perspective on the alula that I had never seen (or at least noticed) previously. I was on the verge of deleting these images when at the last second something about the left wing caught my eye.
Barn Owl In Flight Showing Dorsal Plumage Patterns and Alulae
Barn Owls have rather intricate plumage patterns and interesting color gradations on their dorsal (back) surfaces but they are rarely seen in their entirety in a single image. That’s partly because to get such an image you need to get them in flight with their wings out and tail spread which is very difficult to do since they’re primarily nocturnal. And when you do manage a flight shot of one you’re usually looking up at them and can’t see much, if any, of the dorsal surface. I thought this image fit the bill. especially with the bird looking down so that we can also see the colors and patterns on the top of the head. Yes, I do wish I had more light in the eye… 1/1600. f/8, ISO 500 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, canvas added for composition, not baited, set up or called in Another thing I like about the image is the clear look at the alulae (plural of alula) or “bastard wings – the first digit or “thumb” on the leading edge of the wing. And this shot shows one more thing that intrigues me – the right alula (left in our view) is extended further forward and at a sharper angle than the one on the birds left, perhaps in compensation for the tipped angle of flight. My research indicates that there’s still debate among experts about whether or not birds have muscular control of the alulae or they only respond to the pressure of air currents. This owl has just spotted potential prey below and is flying very slowly as…
The Alula (bastard wing) Of A Kestrel In Flight
Many extinct and ancient relatives of modern birds had alulae, as do flies (insects of order diptera). I find it fascinating that evolutionary selection pressure has produced this structure in such diverse and relatively unrelated groups as birds and some flying insects. And that man has (once again) copied nature to solve a modern problem.
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The Next Shot In The Series After Yesterday’s Kingfisher Photo
Snowy Egret Stalking And Striking At A… I Don’t Know What It Is!
I always enjoy mysteries in my photos like this one, especially when they involve bird behaviors. And sometimes my readers even solve them for me.
Belted Kingfisher In A Takeoff/Flight Posture I Like Very Much
Yesterday I had a good morning in the mountains. I documented interesting behaviors from several species and I was even able to get a few photos I like.
Canada Goose Serendipity
I can like photos of any bird species no matter how common and believe it or not I actually got a flight shot I like yesterday, despite our inversion and gunky air.
Two Views Of The Beautiful Backside Of A Male American Kestrel In Flight
It’s rare for me to post photos of birds where neither their eye or their face can be seen. But sometimes it’s the plumage that steals the show and for me male kestrels rule the raptor roost when it comes to spectacular colors and patterns.
Male Rough-legged Hawk With A Flight Posture I Like Very Much
Yesterday morning I had to drive about 100 miles north before I escaped the foggy, smoggy mess in the valleys that we call air during these extended inversions. This beautiful hawk was one of my rewards.
Adult Bald Eagle On Landing Approach
For some reason I don’t see, or at least notice, the alulae (bastard wings) on eagles very often.
A Landing American Kestrel
Photos of birds as they land are a challenge, especially when your subject is a quick little falcon.
Red-tailed Hawk In Flight With Nesting Material
I seldom photograph raptors with nesting material because I won’t closely approach their nests but I got lucky with this female Red-tailed Hawk.
American Kestrel – An Unusual View Of The Alulae (bastard wings)
Recently I photographed a male American Kestrel in the middle of a wing-stretch and that pose really put his alulae on display.
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk (and a question of photographic ethics)
A Different Look At The Alula (bastard wing)
Yesterday morning a Rough-legged Hawk gave me a perspective on the alula that I had never seen (or at least noticed) previously. I was on the verge of deleting these images when at the last second something about the left wing caught my eye.
Barn Owl In Flight Showing Dorsal Plumage Patterns and Alulae
Barn Owls have rather intricate plumage patterns and interesting color gradations on their dorsal (back) surfaces but they are rarely seen in their entirety in a single image. That’s partly because to get such an image you need to get them in flight with their wings out and tail spread which is very difficult to do since they’re primarily nocturnal. And when you do manage a flight shot of one you’re usually looking up at them and can’t see much, if any, of the dorsal surface. I thought this image fit the bill. especially with the bird looking down so that we can also see the colors and patterns on the top of the head. Yes, I do wish I had more light in the eye… 1/1600. f/8, ISO 500 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, canvas added for composition, not baited, set up or called in Another thing I like about the image is the clear look at the alulae (plural of alula) or “bastard wings – the first digit or “thumb” on the leading edge of the wing. And this shot shows one more thing that intrigues me – the right alula (left in our view) is extended further forward and at a sharper angle than the one on the birds left, perhaps in compensation for the tipped angle of flight. My research indicates that there’s still debate among experts about whether or not birds have muscular control of the alulae or they only respond to the pressure of air currents. This owl has just spotted potential prey below and is flying very slowly as…
The Alula (bastard wing) Of A Kestrel In Flight
Many extinct and ancient relatives of modern birds had alulae, as do flies (insects of order diptera). I find it fascinating that evolutionary selection pressure has produced this structure in such diverse and relatively unrelated groups as birds and some flying insects. And that man has (once again) copied nature to solve a modern problem.