Sometimes it’s the little things that make or break a photo.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
My first impression of this photo, taken three days ago at Bear River MBR, when I saw it on my big screen was that it wouldn’t win any awards but it was still pretty nice. The female Yellow-headed Blackbird is in fine fettle, she’s in good light on a natural perch that includes flowers, buds and seed heads and I like the bi-colored, clean background. She’s even color coordinated with the sunflower and the upper background.
I’d already processed the photo for posting to Feathered Photography before I noticed the impudent gob of drooping bird poop that sort of ruins the mood.
I decided to post it anyway. Bird poop happens. And besides, I get a kick out of the poop because it seems to be making a statement.
Ron
I’d like to add to Granny Pat’s comment “Where else do I get to enjoy laughter, beauty and learning!?”
I also enjoy the comments of your readers tremendously.
Thank you very much, Pat.
My readers have always been a big part of Feathered Photography. They make it both fun and educational for me.
I wasn’t going to say anything, but now that you mentioned it, that is one droopy pe…er..,poopy. 😉🥳
She looks very coquetish with that sideways glance and angle to her body ! It is a photo I could look at often and would always make me smile.
Much appreciated, Catherine. Thanks.
Poop happens. Which is just as well. The alternates if it didn’t fill me with horror.
And what a wonderful capture of the yellow headed blackbird.
“Poop happens. The alternates if it didn’t fill me with horror.”
Boy, ain’t that the truth!
It would fill you with something else; that’s for sure! 🙀😹
Poop. What if it was a small feather hanging down. Would that cause a similar reaction? Both are a natural part of the bird and worth not ignoring. I have a friend who loves to find mammal scat and can give you a whole explanation of the animal and how to ID its scat. I often gave a mini-lecture in the field to my students about bird poop and how it differs from many other animals. I also have a T-shirt with a grid of various white splotches on it and below each is the name of a bird. The tiny white spot is, of course, a hummingbird. It’s all in fun and a bunch of nonsense but my students loved it when I wore that shirt. Poop can be fun. I’m glad you brought a little today and in a way so unobtrusive that I missed it initially.
“Poop can be fun”
I heartily agree, Dan. Scatological humor has its place.
You got two catchlights — one eye and one related to a bit further south on the bird.
Giggled at Michael’s parody. My mind immediately went to the scene from Blazing Saddles where Cleavon Little is singing. Then, like the immature adult I am, my mind went to the “bean scene,” so we’ve essentially come full circle. 😉
“like the immature adult I am”
I’ve got you beat in that department, Marty. The drooping poop looks phallic to me.
Oh, I love your newsletter! Where else do I get to laugh while enjoying such beauty?
Very much appreciated, Granny Pat.
When I first opened the post, my screen had your headline, your first sentence, and only the very top bit of the photo, so it was pretty obvious that drooping white glob was gonna be featured. Then I scrolled and Ms. Blackbird appeared with her sunflowers, and who cares about white drooping glob. (Although she is looking at it, perhaps a bit reproachfully, “Really?”) I like too, the reality of the one dry stem with no flower head. A lesser artist might have photoshopped out those imperfections for a “pretty” picture. Thank you for showing and accepting the “little things”.
Granny Pat, to me that “one dry stem” looks like it’s floating in space. Once I saw that I couldn’t unsee it.
I barely noticed it and didn’t realize what it was taking in the rest of the photo! 🙂 Stunning photo – couldn’t have put that together on purpose if you tried! 😉 All subtly comes together…… 🙂
Thank you, Judy.
I didn’t see it and now I can’t see anything else. Poop.
Oh, I saw the white, but assumed it was just a piece of fluff. A piece of amorphous (or impudent) s*.
I suppose you’re sure what it is. Don’t you sometimes think s* should just be left to define itself?
“Don’t you sometimes think s* should just be left to define itself?”
Yes, I do Sallie. As you said, “sometimes”.
Love it! The poop is a great symbol of the nature of imperfection.
Thanks, Brett.
The first thing I noticed was the beautiful way the color of the bird coordinated with the foliage. The second thing was the “gob”. I thought perhaps the gob was not what I first assumed it was, and that perhaps it was some form of stalactite-like plant fungus like Ergot on wheat. But, no.
I held my hand up to the computer screen looking for a suitable crop. There does not seem to be any way that does not diminish. I still appreciate the best parts of this photo.
“I get a kick out of the poop because it seems to be making a statement.”
To paraphrase Frank Sinatra,
I get no kick from bird poop
Mere defecation doesn’t thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you
Yes I do.
Don’t know why. These things just pop into my head.
Michael, and I get a kick out of it when they pop into your head and you share it.
Better to pop into, than poop onto.
Couldn’t resist.
Too funny – good thing I read everything because I had not noticed the bird poop and it even took me a few seconds to find it way over there on the left. I was completely focused on the Blackbird and don’t think I would have noticed. Nice shot.
Thanks, Everett. I was surprised by how long it took me to notice it. Usually I spot stuff like that right off.
I must be blind– I looked carefully several times and couldn’t see “it”.
What I could see– and admired–was the harmony between the
shape, color, and texture of the bird’s golden breast feathers and
the sunflowers’ discs of seed-pods– now that’s what I call poetry!
Kris, look upper left for drooping white.
“Impudent gob of drooping bird poop”! You’re a poet!!
Gotta say, in my 76 years that’s the first time I’ve been accused of that!
Not an accusation at all!
I know. Coming from you especially, I took it as a compliment.