Bye Bye Birdy by CoreyBlack

Photography • Animals • posted on Dec 31, 2011

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Description

I don't know what kind of bird this is. Ornithology isn't really my field, but it doesn't stop me trying to guess. That is, to guess without actually bothering to do the proper research (gee, how American politician of me). So, is this Monty Python's famous Norwegian Blue? Don't see any blue. Maybe a Yellow-bellied Sap Sucker? Can't actually see it's belly and there are no tell tell signs of sap on it's beak. I suppose it probably has an interesting name like the Green Necked Spotted Milquetoast Hen-pecker. Or maybe it's just a drag queen pigeon. Whatever type of bird this is, you see them all over the place, especially at train stations. If you are in possession of anything remotely food-like, an entire flock of them will surround you like you're Tippi Hedren in a scene out of a particular Alfred Hitchcock film. Unlike the Hitchcock film, however, once they realize you're not going to feed them they abruptly fly away to mooch off someone else. I suppose I'm being harsh; it's not like they can go get office jobs somewhere, now is it? Even though they can type by hunt and peck (rim shot). I'm not a selfish person by nature, but this is where my own personal self preservation comes in. The last thing I need is to be arrested by some roving undercover transit cop and forced to pay a $ 200 fine for feeding the birds. The likelihood of this actually happening in a city the size of Chicago is probably fairly slim, but that's the kind of thinking that usually gets you into trouble. And I'm the type of person that statistically improbable things are ALWAYS happening to. So I'll keep my chicken salad sandwiches to myself, thank you very much. That and I really LIKE chicken salad. Sooooooooo, anyway, when this bird of mysterious ethnicity finally realized I wasn't going to feed it, it flew away. And took 2011 with it. Photographed at the Western Avenue Ravenswood/Brown Line train station in the Lincoln Square area of Chicago on December 31, 2011. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!

Comments (12)

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Chipka

10:48PM | Sat, 31 December 2011

Oh, I know what this is: it's an East Bolivian Horse Vulture from Northern Sri Lanka. Actually, no...that was just a misquote from South Park and as I wrote, rather than said this, you have no idea whether or not I sounded like Cartman. Anyway. I love the light in this shot and pigeons are always a perfect photographic subject. I think this is actually a rock pigeon, as they are the most widespread sorts in urban environments. Great light and I love your model. Happy New Year, but as I'm sitting next to you as I type this, I can just say it in person. Oh, and I love that red eye. Pigeons have the most gorgeously intense eyes. I rather like pigeons! I love the way they strut and maintain their pigeion-ish dignity, no matter what we do to them, and unfortunately, we do a lot! This is a great shot and congratulations on breaking the 300 mark.

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mgtcs

11:24PM | Sat, 31 December 2011

This is a truly beautiful and cute bird, the lighting and camera angle are spectacular! Loved it!

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bmac62

11:49PM | Sat, 31 December 2011

Happy 2012 Corey...and what a night to celebrate your 300th upload. This pigeon and your ruminations about him and his brethren is a hoot. Well done!!!

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auntietk

12:14AM | Sun, 01 January 2012

I believe it's a Yellow-Bellied Norwegian Blue City Pigeon. I love it that this one was chosen amongst all the pigeons in the city to usher out the new year! I assume 2012 will come in on a wing and a prayer? It seems only fitting. Happy New Year, dear friend, and may 2012 bring you health, prosperity, happiness, balance and joy. (I should tell you I wish that for you in July or something ... I mean ... it's true all the time ... I don't only love you on New Year's Eve!) :) Congratulations on your 300th upload here on RR! I thoroughly enjoy your gallery, and am looking forward to many, many more!

whaleman

12:44AM | Sun, 01 January 2012

There's something tranquill and relaxing about watching pigeons going about their life. I think they really know how to do it, except that some don't have too many smarts. When I was working with an office atop a building, I once watched my favorite one, a snow white pigeon, walk around a ventilation duct then walk right past a red-tailed hawk, who promptly ate him and ended the lineage of white pigeons around there. A sad story but that's the way life is sometimes. I still wish I could have seen that coming and intervened. Have a great 2012!

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