{"id":7888,"date":"2013-03-18T03:55:47","date_gmt":"2013-03-18T09:55:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=7888"},"modified":"2025-04-24T06:57:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T11:57:18","slug":"early-spring-chukar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/18\/early-spring-chukar\/","title":{"rendered":"Early Spring Chukar"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"YawningYawning Chukar – Nikon D300, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 285mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday it looked like I was going to get skunked, the clouds kept moving in and out, mostly in when there was a bird nearby and out when there weren’t any birds around. The wind was blowing, not nearly a gale but it was coming from the north and felt icy and wind can often times keep birds down. I’d gotten a few Western Meadowlark images I didn’t feel were going to be that great so I felt skunked.<\/p>\n

Before leaving Antelope Island near the marina, I spotted this early spring Chukar on a boulder and in between the shadows of the clouds racing by I was able to take a few well lit images. The Chukar wasn’t calling in this frame, it was yawning.<\/p>\n

\"CallingCalling Chukar\u00a0– Nikon D300, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 235mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Before too long I heard the sound of wings and the noises that Chukars make when they are disturbed or flying (or both) nearby and this Chukar reacted to their presence by calling.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar stretching\u00a0– Nikon D300, f8, 1\/400, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 235mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

And it also did a stretch. I wish the stretched out wing actually showed in this image but I don’t get to see them stretch often so I am happy.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar calling in early spring\u00a0– Nikon D300, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 285mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Right after it stretched it began calling again. The call can be heard here<\/a><\/span>,\u00a0a little more than\u00a0half way down the page. It is breeding season for the Chukars so I expect I’ll be hearing them quite often.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar on a boulder\u00a0– Nikon D300, f8, 1\/500, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 228mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Some times there is one bird that makes (or\u00a0perhaps saves) a day, yesterday it was this Chukar for me. I can say I didn’t get skunked!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Chukar photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some times there is one bird that makes (or perhaps saves) a day, yesterday it was this Chukar for me. I can say I didn’t get skunked!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[511,27,442,1022,26],"tags":[4146,4021,4073,4072,445,165,3964,340],"class_list":["post-7888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-chukars","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","tag-alectoris-chukar","tag-bird-photography","tag-breeding-season","tag-calling","tag-chukar","tag-spring","tag-stretching","tag-yawning"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t