During my camping trip to Montana last month I visited one spot on the shore of Lower Red Rock Lake multiple times each day because birds were always abundant there and some of them were unusually tolerant of my presence.
This Willet was the most reliable and tolerant of them all. In each of my 8-10 visits over three days, this guy was either there when I got there, or ‘he’ arrived soon after I did. At times he was so close I couldn’t fit him in the frame, so a couple of times I started my pickup and moved further away – which didn’t bother him in the least.
He was so reliable in this spot, and tolerant of me, toward the end of my time in the valley I began calling him Steady Eddie.
Here he had just landed on the shore. His crown feathers are partially erected in reaction to a Wilson’s Phalarope just out of frame to the right. That phalarope was almost as reliable and tolerant as Eddie. None of the other phalaropes were like that.
In those three days this was the only time he came up on shore, although he was never far from it. Or from me.
He had several preening sessions while I was with him but usually he had his back to me or his eyes were closed. This time his eye was open and I even got a catch light in his eye.
I’ll close with a bathing shot, one of the few I got that I liked.
I’ll admit to getting pretty attached to ol’ Eddie. At times I thought he might feel the same way about me.
Ron
I like Eddie, too. He seems like he would be a very good friend to have. Someone you could count on .
Take Care,
Kaye
I’m sure good ol’ Eddie was comfortable around you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be bathing or preening so close to you. Animals know a Class Act when they see one! 😃
Were you able to get a shot of the interloping phalarope?
Yes Marty, I got photos of the phalarope, including some (I think) that included both birds. As I recall, they weren’t very good though.
A bird and/or wildlife photographers dream. Good shots all.
Every once in a while you run into a bird or deer etc that just poses
for you and you can’t believe it. So often just as you are focusing
the targeted subject takes off or runs. Excellent.
Thank you, Everett. I wish it happened more often.
NICE! Always fun when wildlife cooperates or even seems to be friendly. 🙂 Beautiful bird in their own way.
Thanks, Judy. The beauty of Willets really shines when they have their wings up but that only happened once with this Willet and I missed getting the photos.
Your meetings with Eddie made me wonder– if an animal had never
had an experience which made it fear human beings , would it then
simply feel curiosity on first encountering one and remain nearby ?
I guess it would naturally take its cues from other nearby creatures–
but Eddie’s behavior got my imagination going to a state of innocence
which probably never actually existed……I’m glad you had a moment
together !
Kris, I have no idea what made him so tolerant of me. It was one of those situations where I just took it for what it was and enjoyed it.
What a cooperative subject. Such Ron and Eddie encounters feel strangely surreal, and can be an affirmation about humanity and our place in nature.
“Such Ron and Eddie encounters feel strangely surreal”
Yup, that’s how I felt about it, Michael. Each and every time I drove up to that spot I thought he couldn’t/wouldn’t be there again. But he always was, or he showed up very soon.