Friday, February 6, 2009

Birdwatching Horse Watching Bird


Or is it a horsewatching bird watching horse? In either case there's a bird on the fence seen through the barn, and the two could be having a stare-down. (Even if you enlarge the photo, it's hard to see.)

It's easy to imagine that only humans take any pleasure in observing the fauna around us, but I suspect more than a few creatures size each other up, determine the level of threat, watch for patterns of behavior, and might even become amused. Certainly we must be the prime objects of such sport, with the One Who Brings Food garnering a very different reaction than the One Who Walks By or the One Who Shouts. But there's a time for observing, and a time for munching hay.

10 comments:

essbdee said...

that's beautiful with the sun streaming through!

Kym said...

That is a gorgeous photo. In fact, it is my new favorite of yours. If you do a calendar for this next year (and you should), this Photo should be on it! The light streams down and adds such an idyllic atmosphere.

Ron Bloomquist said...

Great observation and wonderful musings.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

After my horse and I departed company, she recognized me for years by my voice.

Kim said...

What lovely, lovely light coming through the barn and limbing the horse! Almost seems warm, but I'm guessing it wasn't. I'm with the other Kym. This one gets to me.
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo

Petrea Burchard said...

I love the jumble of fences, going off into the distance of this shot. And the bouncing light.

Hilda said...

Took some looking but I finally saw the bird. Must be wondering if it was safe to hop onto the hay to start pecking or if Mr Painted Horse might decide that he was edible.

Love the horse, by the way. I've never seen a pinto for real and I think their coloring's fascinating.

USelaine said...

Sarah D - Thank you. I was in a bit of a hurry after work that day, trying to get out for photos before I lost the sun.

Kym - Wow! Thanks! Your photos around Salmon Creek are ideals of atmosphere, so that means a lot.

Ron - Thank you. You've taught me a lot about observing a small town.

PA - They know who their friends are.

Kim - Thank you too. I nearly drove into a ditch in my haste to get my truck off the road as I drove by. Lucky it wasn't a busy moment, and I could scramble for the fast sinking sun.

Petrea - Well, thank you for saying that. The truth is, I almost left this shot in the archives because I was frustrated by not being able to get up to the foreground fence to bypass it. There was a slippery-wet ditch between it and the road, so I tried to hold the camera as high as I could to shoot above it. I wanted it to be "better", but everyone likes it anyway! I'm relieved.

Hilda - Hah! I've never seen a horse attack a bird. But I've never seen a bird try to steal a horse's hay either, so you never know. 6^) It was a pretty colored horse, with big "brush strokes" of rusty red and white.

Thanks everyone, for all the appreciations!

Kris McCracken said...

I do like that ray of light there...

Babzy.B said...

Nice scene , and the light is so warm !