I'll Climb a Ladder to Reach the Birds

I had some time to kill when I got home from work today.  Not much, just some.  I went outside with my camera, knowing that my neighbor had been doing some house work, thinking I might get a decent photo of something tool related.  I found a pile of ladders, a decent enough subject, and composed the shot.  I then figured I could go for a quick bike ride since my daily photo had been captured fairly quickly, but I kept my camera attached to me...just in case.  I'm glad I did.  As I was riding around, I noticed some birds.  Some pigeons to be exact.  I had noticed some before, and on each occasion was awfully surprised to see them.  See, I live in Ephrata, PA, a non-urban area, surrounded by farms.  I have spent many years of my life in New York City, knowing all too well the type of environment needed for what so many call "flying rats," and Ephrata just isn't it.  But oddly enough, they keep showing up...and more frequently too.  So I decided to follow them a little.  I realized that Ephrata doesn't just have pigeons, we have a flock of pigeons...a very specific group of about ten pigeons that have a very specific area that they like to fly around, and a very specific building that they will rest on.  The flock has a single white pigeon that seems to get a lot of attention.  I don't know if the white one is female, or if it is popular due to the color difference.  Regardless, these birds provided me with a good half hour or so of birdwatching and bird-chasing by bike.  I got the feeling that I could be the new Mark Bittner, a man who spent much of his free time taking care of a flock of wild parrots in San Francisco.  This man and his parrot friends have had a documentary made about their lives.  I'd recommend that anyone who likes a good eccentric guy and some adorably friendly parrots check it out.  It is entitled The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.

Ladders

Here is that pile of ladders.  Perhaps I shall snag one in order to get closer to those pigeons.

Flock Of Pigeons

These two shots of the birds are definitely not your average "wildlife" shots.  I had no idea I'd be photographing birds, especially not ones on top of buildings.  When I go out with the intention of shooting them, I shall bring a telephoto, allowing me to get some good close ups of these birds.

They Came From the City

This is an ode to my early impression of the pigeon's habitat...the dark, metallic, and rusty city.