Day 87

In all the time I've been trying to photograph birds I've never gotten a good one of a cardinal, I don't know why, they would either take off by the time I got my camera or the picture would be out of focus or who knows, they just never came out. It drove me crazy, they were tormenting me, possibly because you can't mistake them for anything else, especially the males, they stick out like a sore thumb where ever they are.

Tonight I was on my way home from work, keeping my eyes open for the picture of the day when zipping by, right in front of my car was a little brilliant red blur, from what I could see from my semi speeding car it landed in a bush right by the road. So I stopped, backed up to check it out and got my camera and put the long lens on just in case I could find him. Did I mention I could be patient if I was taking pictures? Well let's just say it was a good thing I was alone tonight because I waited and waited and waited...and...waited for that little red tormentor to come out into the sunlight. I could see him flitting around the back of the bush while cars were whizzing by probably wondering what the heck was so interesting, but I waited, it must have been 15 minutes which doesn't seem like long but try it sometime, sitting for any length of time looking through a camera viewfinder, afraid to blink or you might miss the moment. Then, after a time it becomes a battle of wills...that bird isn't going to beat me...I can wait it out...he will forget about me sooner or later and show himself....no I don't have to go to the bathroom...my neck will uncramp eventually. Finally out he came, the late day sun turning his red body even more brilliant, he stayed for just a few seconds, I took five frames, three of those out of focus, one his head was behind a leaf and this one...see I knew I would win the battle...now can someone please pass the Tylenol for my neck.

"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds'" -Aesop