His First Adventure, a photo from ミシガン, Midwest

Photographer's Note

Returning from breakfast this morning we noticed a whole lot of commotion on our roof. About 7 sparrows were flying from the wire, to the trough and to the tree and chirping loudly to one another. Since there is a sparrow nest in the trough and they have often had very loud "arguments" I thought nothing of it.

Later, as I was cutting the grass, I was getting close to the fence when something on the grass caught my attention. Looking closely I saw it was a bird that did not fly away. Getting closer I discovered it was a baby sparrow. I moved my hand almost to touching it, being careful not to get my scent on it, and still it did not fly.

Then after watching this one I saw another one in the backyard, beyond the fence. My father went by that one and it hopped into some thicker grass where it didn't move. So I figured in the morning the sparrows were all urging the two babies out to learn to fly and now they were both on the ground.

I continued mowing, avoiding the area where the two babies were. Then I carefully surveyed the ground to make sure no other babies were hiding and found one of the birds gone. I finished cutting with the one under the fence watching me carefully every time I passed by.

After I finished I saw the other bird hop out of our flowers with one of the parents urging it to fly. Hopping around it tried but couldn't make it quite high enough. Eventually the other sparrow also was urged out by the other parent and was hopping around neighbor's yard.

I don't know how it ended but it was interesting to watch them have their first adventure outside the nest. I just wonder how they were going to get them to fly high enough to get them back up to my trough some 25 feet above the ground.

Mike Chachich also recently posted an even better shot of another young bird on its first adventure.

His sibling is in the workshop

cgrindahl, adam, papagolf21, ale, carper, elihesamian, summer89, Kenny10pin, phi729, kajenn, ma-tibou, mdchachi, cmartos, nwoehnl, Jeppe has marked this note useful

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cgrindahl (6113) 2004-07-25 2:55

A real life adventure makes its way to TE. Thanks for sharing both the image and the note. This certainly isn't a classic macro shot but with the note it speaks of the fragility of life. The color of the grass remind me of Minnesota summers and mowing the lawn on a hot, humid day with birds flitting about. I can almost smell the distinctive scent of freshly cut grass. Touching image Paul.

papagolf21 (152607) 2004-07-25 3:11

Une bien jolie histoire Paul. Gr稍e � cette photo, vos souvenirs resteront grav駸 � jamais.
La prise de vue 騁ait difficile � r饌liser. Beaucoup de d騁ail de cet oisillon.
Very well done.
A very beautiful history Paul. Thanks to this photo, your recollections will remain engraved for ever.
The recording was difficult to realize. Many detail of this oisillon.
Very well done.

ale (1819) 2004-07-25 3:23

Hi Paul,
this is very cute and I like the workshop too.
You wrote a great note, I enjoyed a lot reading it...I hope their first adventure ended well.
Very well done!!;)

carper (96) 2004-07-25 3:30

Only the work you had have on this one is already 2 points. The photo is not spectaculair, but your work is good, so you did a good job Paul

danyy (0) 2004-07-25 3:36

Que cette photo est superbe, on lui voit la mojndre plume du duvet. Exquises couleurs et cadrage astucieux (mise en oblique), composition pleine de vie.

elihesamian (26149) 2004-07-25 3:56

In his first adventure,he hunted by a kind photographer:)
Nice story,great work,amazing details,very tangible,an excellent bird shot with carry an innocense feeling in it for little bird,Very well captured & composed.
The alternate shot is great,too.
I like it,Paul!
Lovely shot

jhm (211736) 2004-07-25 4:34

I find this well beautiful, Paul, sharp and clear. Well seen!

oochappan (4880) 2004-07-25 4:45

You are quite a narrative accurate observer as well in your note as well in your fine detailed picture where you create that feeling you could almost grab this young bird out of the fresh green grass to put it back by his parents. Lucky you didn't and let life go find their natural way !

Rinie_Hoff (9340) 2004-07-25 4:47

Hi Paul, lovely story, and a fine picture to sunbstantiate it, I love the way how you describe your actions, and how you were watched. That worked both ways, then. I think flying will be that same thing as learning to walk, although with flying you can fall down harder.
NIce picture, Paul.

summer89 (5422) 2004-07-25 7:44

Hi Paul,

I like this photo and the workshop,too. The note it's excelent.

Well done

Kenny10pin (19301) 2004-07-25 8:57

great note here, I like the angle you ahve caught this too, very good close up shot, well done

bertolucci (14052) 2004-07-25 10:51

Lovely and sensitive capture Paul, brought very much to life by your story. You indeed captured here a very significant moment in the development these young birds. In the compo I like the diagonal orientation of this bird, the well chosen DoF and the very good definition. Good job & thanx for sharing daily life in this way!

phi729 (2101) 2004-07-25 13:34

Colors of the grass and bird are beautiful and well-contrasted. The sharpness is excellent (particularly the feather and head of the bird). There is no defect in the exposure: no under or overexposure on the grass illuminated by the sun.
Technically, a very good work.
But what I love more again are your notes about history of this baby sparrow. They are really touching (and useful to manipulate wild animals) !!! Delicacy and spirit completely TE, Paul. WELL DONE.

PS: You could add the shot in the Scavenger Hunts "An Animal in Its Natural Habitat".

Regards.

kajenn (2462) 2004-07-25 20:47

Nice story and nice close-up shot, Paul. I suppose this one wasn't easy to get good. As can be seen in the WS photo of the sibling, it's hard to get a good general focus due to the high grass. But you've succeeded well, getting all of the bird sharp and well rendered. The diagonal positioning is very nicely framed by the grass and any blurred straw is found along the edges, making it a very lovely composition. Well done - story & image!

ma-tibou (4568) 2004-07-26 5:20

Tr鑚 beau r駸um�, la photo est tr鑚 bien prise malgr駸 la difficult�, belle r騏ssite. Bravo.

mdchachi (1612) 2004-07-26 7:29

As good a shot as you could have got and excellent note. I don't know, it doesn't look that much different from my bird. Hard to tell.

harold (2377) 2004-07-26 15:16

Comme il est mignon ce petit oiseau j aime bien le cadrage et ces couleurs du bon travail pamastro bravo

cmartos (242) 2004-07-26 22:08

Nice story, and very fine shot. This one was not obvious to catch, and you succeed well. Bright and vibrant colours with excellent sharpness and details. Very fine job Paul, thanks for sharing both, note and picture.

nwoehnl (122) 2004-07-28 13:30

Hi Paul, very nice and crisp catch of this young sparrow. Great details in the plumage, and I like how it is engulfed by the green green grass. Beautiful storytelling in combination with your note and the WS photo, thanks for sharing.

Jeppe (18654) 2005-02-25 8:22

Oh - nice one paul - a little bad with the eye and bill that covered a bit - but never mind - its gives us the feeling its trying to hide away - also thanks for the link photo - they both remind of a never posted shot (one of many ;-) showing a young bird at hes first adventure - I will concider a post soon - thanks for story behind and the workshop photo as well.