Thief!
9 August 2008
Another in the line of a “softer” image – female Blackbird stealing the just-forming grapes in a glasshouse. This painting has been at the back of my mind for a while, since the initial sketch and photos.
On the way back from Rufforth yesterday, as the main road was closed and I couldn’t face coming back through the massive tailbacks around Ilkley, I took the scenic route via Appletreewick. As it was getting late, Rufus and I went for a walk on the edge of the moorland and as Rufus was hunting in the reeds, a Short-eared Owl was hunting him.
The bird was feigning stoops and generally being noisy, not at all worried by me, as all it’s attention was focussed on the dog. Calling Rufus back to me, brought the bird as well and as a consequence it flew right over me, within 20 feet or so. Equipped only with my iPhone as I was, I still got a couple of decent shots of – clicking on the photo links to my iPhone Flickr slideshow.
Hint: Holding your finger on the iPhone shutter button enables you to take the photo the instant you remove your digit – no delay that way – but make sure you’ve actually got your finger on the button icon. (I missed a couple of shots because I hadn’t actually depressed the pseudo button to begin with…)
Redstart
