Flight

I spent awhile stalking this egret while he was doing a little stalking of his own. It was fascinating to watch him go after a little mouse in the brush along the cliffs--how subtly he moved, how gracefully, and swiftly. And accurately. I could feel the moment when he knew that dinner was waiting in those raggedy dry shrubs, and I held my breath as he flowed toward his prey. See Extra.

I've been practicing some chi kung exercises to improve balance, and to see this perfect bird standing for long minutes on one thin leg, holding his other foot just so, ready to take one more slow perfect step, was the ideal instruction. His movements were microscopic, like breath, or flowing water, until the bam! moment of striking the mouse--so fast that it almost didn't happen. Except, of course, from the point of view of the mouse.