Rare moments provides lasting impressions. The Cape Sugarbird's visits are always of such a kind.
Their long feathers, the long beak, and the shrill shrieks always pulls me from where I might be. I sat inside busy working on my PhD when I heard the calls from the Cape Sugarbird. I knew instinctively that it was close. So, I grabbed my camera, and I sure am glad that I did!
The Cape Sugarbird sat on a thinnish branch, flowers full of sap for sure, looking nervously over the garden. I am sure it was on the lookout for predators, but I am not sure.
As I approached, I quickly realised that it was not afraid of me. This was rather odd, but I took the opportunity to get real close to this friend, to see its striking beauty through the lens.
I am always wary of birds being so friendly towards humans, as they are still essentially wild animals. And I always worry when they are so friendly, as people love to feed them, and they get used to this feeding. As soon as we humans disappear, their food source will be gone...
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As I took the photographs, it just looked, sometimes it ate some of the nectar, but it mostly just looked - always passed me. Did it even see me? I am not sure. But it was looking. As I walked ever closer, small steps so as not to alarm the bird, it just sat on the branch, looking somewhere beyond me. It was like it did not see me, or that it looked through me.
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And then I stepped just too close for comfort. For a while it tolerated my constant advances closer. But then I stepped that one step too close. It flew to another branch, still watching whatever it was looking for. Maybe it was looking for a mate, predators, or something totally else. Maybe it was the spirit of a long lost lover that was inside of its bird body. I am not sure. either way, I was lucky to witness its beauty from so close.
And so, this moment also disappeared into the ether, almost like it never happened. The only evidence that it ever happened was the photographs, my memories, and the poetry that I wrote in my memories. For now, all we have are these memories. The present is a mere figment of our imagination, in some sense.
For now, happy birding, and keep well!
All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 300mm zoom lens. The musings and writings are also my own, albeit inspired by this magical moment that unfolded in front of me.
