My Way of Living + Photography

Living in the city pretty much our only chance to see any wildlife is when we catch a glimpse of elusive dumpster divers, or bottle collectors.
So like any normal compartment dweller I head to the park when I want to hear the birds sing. Given the beautiful sun-shiny day the park was full to the brim with gym kids, and seniors with walkers. Not the best combination, but they all seemed to adapt, walking, and weaving, and there were only a few near collisions.
Seemed that all that human wildlife was a little too much for the birds, while the ducks warily circled in the middle of the lake, most of the bunnies had decided to decamp for greener grasses. Even the crows were missing.
The next day I ventured forth once again, this time there was a conspicuous absence of yelling, and squeaking wheels from walkers. As I carefully aimed my camera at the water to get the best reflected shot of the trees, I heard a voice come from behind me.
Mid sentence it blared into my brain, “I’ve got the best darned shot of a Heron anyone could ever get, you got to be good to do that… ”
Startled, I just turned and shrugged, after all there are many kinds of wildlife around here, including this guy. So I ventured up the path away from the annoying “pro shooter.”
Then across the lake I saw it, majestically pirouetting across the lake on the bank, a Heron. I have never seen one here in the middle of the city, and to say I was enraptured is a understatement. It became my goal to get a little closer and get a better shot. Just as I was sidling down the hillside to creep beside the Heron, a voice blasts out again on the banking above me ”the best darned shot of a Heron anyone could ever get, last frame of a 36 shot roll of film, none of that fancy digital crap that you’ve go there, water dripping off of it’s beak and everything.” Sigh… yes I know, you are the master photographer, I bow down to you… giggle.
Now can you take off please? I have a date with the hidden Heron.