When we manage to catch a bird in flight, you see a perspective entirely new — and often otherworldly. Wings are transformed into pattens rich in colors, design and translucence. Legs curl up and disappear. We get a glimpse of the anatomy of flight and speed that seem to defy physics. The takeoff is often so fast it’s only luck that lets us capture a photo. Here are a collection of lucky moments of takeoffs, landings, swoops and circles that catch a glimpse of the magic of feathered flight.