As I was walking down the country road the other day, I heard a shrill, piercing cry, over and over. Intrigued, I crossed the street and went closer to the fields from whence the sound seemed to be coming. Another snow bird returning from southern climes, no doubt. It was well camouflaged on the ground, but occasionally one or two of them would break cover and fly. This was when I discovered how difficult it is to focus a long-distance lens on a moving object. I took a bunch of photos and hoped for the best.
Later, I looked the photos over – most of them were the kind that the delete button was created for, but there was one which showed promise.
Let’s see what the magnified version looks like:
Aha! See those rings around the neck? Between the Peterson Field Guide to the Birds and cross-referencing with photos on the internet, I discovered it was a killdeer, a bird in the plover family. Most people know the killdeer as that bird which cleverly pretends to be wounded, making noise and dragging its wing, to distract you from its nest if you get too close. Actors, take note – God made a bird that can do the same thing you guys do, and without any lessons whatsoever.
Here’s a better photo from the aforementioned internet:
I’d need a lot more lens power to take a photo like that. Here’s one I took today while I was out, using all the power I’ve got:
Tomorrow: the killdeer and the villanelle. Don’t miss it.
I’ll probably…oh, you know the rest by now.
Lynniebeemuseoday 