Sunday, November 27, 2011

Poetry in Motion


Birds are wary and do not linger long for photos. They dart in and out of the feeders, hiding frequently in the nearby holly's evergreen bows for shelter and camouflage.   I spend time sitting very still and sometimes they seem to forget I am there until I cross an ankle or turn my head, but still it is difficult to get a crisp shot.


If a hawk lands in a close high up branch they freeze.  They look like stuffed animals at the museum exhibit and do not turn a head to see if the shadow of the raptor is behind or beside.  They do not move one tiny feather.  Their form is that of a hunched life form ready to fly, but tucked tight in the center.  They are usually tucked beneath a flower pot, leafy branch or in deep shadow.


Thus the truth of nature is that motion catches the eye.  You know this if you have tried to view wildlife.  Someone may point out that bird or animal, but you cannot see it, unless it moves.  And then it comes into focus surrounded by grass or leaves or branches.


I learned that even I can be hidden.  As I sat on a plastic stool at the edge of the patio, camera in hand, trying to catch various bird photos I also disappeared.  I heard rustling leaves to my side, but assuming it was a digging squirrel, I only turned somewhat later.  There was a young deer digging for roots or moss.  A warning cry from some bird caused him to pause as he started the climb up the ridge toward my lawn.  He raised his ears, then lowered them, ignoring the warning.  He came out into the clearing  only 15 feet from me and I did not move but held the camera in his direction.  He seemed to sense something was amiss but continued to graze.  I clicked the camera and he did not seem to hear.  I continued to click and then he looked up and stared at me.  He tilted his head as if to get a better focus.  I did not move...he could not see me!  There I sat in full view and he stared for several minutes before something about me...perhaps the movement of my breathing caused him to trot off across the lawn and into the other side of the ravine.




Movement, the dance of the living, that is the key to it all.

14 comments:

  1. yes is it...the deer out behind my house have gotten used to me....we have a family that sleeps there every night...as long as i dont move toward them...birds on the other hand...nice capture...

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  2. Oh great crisp capture on that deer!!! I try so hard to get clear shots of the birds here. Besides their own quick movements, they are in trees of many branches which makes it hard to get a clear view. But I shall persevere!! I just got a 28-300mm lens and I'm learning to hold it steady while I'm stalking birds:-)

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  3. Oh my.. that's a little beauty. Nice capture!

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  4. Awesome how he blends into the background.

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  5. Lovely photos.

    I think that many creatures don't really see something that doesn't move. I am not sure humans always do either, I have sometimes been surprised when something moves and only THEN I notice it and realise it is a person.

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  6. My dog Slim chases everything that moves on our property but she will sit perfectly still when deer are there. She knows not to chase them away but I still never get to my camera in time. You got such a great shot.

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  7. Anonymous10:39 AM

    What a beautiful shot of the deer.
    It's so good that we can blend in with our surrounding enough to really enjoy the nature around us.

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  8. Beautiful photos, Tabor!

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  9. What tender little faces the deer have. Nice catch.

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  10. Birds are twitchy little devils, but I try my darnedest to catch them with my camera.

    Nice job identifying that deer as a male, by the way. Some might have presumed he was a doe from the lack of antlers, but he's a yearling buck.

    (He's got small but discernible knobs atop his head and the tell-tale tarsal and meta-tarsal glands on his legs)

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  11. splendid, splendid post and marvelous photos! I've sat still that same way and felt quite invisible. Isn't it a cool feeling.

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  12. Those are good pointers Tabor. You caught a couple of good photos too - Dave

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  13. Oh my goodness, what a heart-stopping picture, your efforts were well rewarded on this particular day, weren't they? You work hard at your craft and your talent shines through, I am so glad this is aided by also living in such a gorgeous surrounding.

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