When an inactive raptor perched

 I saw it fly about and I heard it call constantly as I walked about the bukit, yet there seemed no hope of it coming down to perch.  

So as I was walking back feeling rather disappointed, this huge silhouette in the distance literally stopped me in my tracks.  It's the Changeable Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) finally, perched open albeit distantly and facing the other way.

It looked like it was patiently on the look-out for something on the ground although as with any raptor, very alert to its surrounding at the same time.

Would it or would it not is always the question - fly off?  If not, would it flex, and finally it did because I supposed perching, being inactive for more than 10 minutes except for moving  its head could get pretty benumbing.

So it finally did stretch, only on one side.

It was merely a half stretch for this big bird.

And as with any big one, flexing means extending its wing as well as its foot down, clenched.  It's believed that by clenching its foot, it's also extending its tendons.

And then it eventually slowly relaxes its claw.

And I waited, hoping it would turn around for a frontal shot but it simply continued to perch facing the other way for more than 30 minutes.  A darkening sky meant I had to abandon my watch so failed to see the bird fly off, for a flying shot!