Bird Psychology

I have been bird hunting this week, studying ducks, crows, magpies, gulls. After hours in the park, the cemetary, the water´s edge, my conclusions are as follows: ducks definitely have the more pleasing personality of the four, at least from a photographer´s point of view. They are more loyal, reliable and attached to place (or less brave about the world, depending on which way you look at it), keeping to the same stretch of river day in and day out. Crows are cunning, suspicious and never to be found when you want them. Gulls are noisy, greedy and will demand the right to be the first to the food. Magpies are light footed, light winged, whimsical, one second here, one second there.

Whenever I visit duck land, I am rewarded. A whole swarm of them fly towards me, propelling the air, then splashing and skidding and gliding through the water like sea planes.

I suspect it might be the food they are after, and not necessarily me. Though it has occurred to me that they recognize my soul. To tell you the truth I´m a duck at heart; loyal, reliable, attached to place. Or not very brave about the world, depending on which way you look at it....