He went out mid-morning to check the duck boxes on our pond. Both of them had been used last season and needed to be cleaned out and the cedar shavings replenished.
He appeared back at the door, urging me hurry and find my shoes, a coat and the camera. He had something he knew I would want to see and photograph. A screech owl asleep in one of the boxes.
Getting the picture inside the box required standing on the top of a step stool. Yes, I did wonder briefly what I would do -- how bad the fall would be, if it woke suddenly and flew out at me. It was very asleep. When I finished, Tal went up, reached in and stepped back on the ground holding the sleeping creature. It woke up in Tal's hands, slowly, completely calm, looking at one of us and then at the other. Observing. So, so beautiful.
After I'd made several photos at my leisure, Tal opened his hands. It lifted up with such grace and flew away toward the head of the pond on silent wings.
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| For a full-face view go go http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarboxje/ |
As beautiful as the bird was, seeing it isn't even the best part of this story. It's a long haul from the duck boxes to the house. Tal could have moved the bird and gotten on with his task. He didn't have to come find me. That's the sweet, best part.
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