Its been a wee while since I went out and about with my camera so today’s image is from back in February when we went up to Spean Bridge. Sentences like that usually make me think about heading out into the (semi) wilds for a bit. However, the rain is rattling my window and I feel less inclined today.
The place we stayed was not much to look at. It’s main architectural feature was the panoramic windows looking out toward the Nevis range. To be fair, a view like that can’t really be competed with. To my surprise I was equally delighted by the bird feeder in the garden. Well, the visitors to it anyway. The goldfinches were easily recognisable. To my wife, anyway. I don’t know how she knows these things. It took us rather longer to identify the siskins. In retrospect their striking yellow-green and black markings should have been a giveaway. Then again, I’m not much of a bird-watcher.
Watching these little guys jockeying for position it was easy to be drawn into their drama. Remember, these fearsome warriors are among the last surviving dinosaurs.
Gretchen slipped between raindrops as she closed on her foe. Stealth was key. Goldfinches, the ancient enemy of her people, were larger and stronger. If it spotted her she wouldn’t stand a chance. Her one chance: strike fast, hit hard, grab what she needs and get out. A risk, but what choice did she have? Time was running out for her kind.
As she understood it, it wasn’t about malice. Goldfinches didn’t have an evil empire bent on dominion. They were scraping a living too. Everyone was feeling the pinch. Which didn’t make it any easier. Goldfinches were the problem only because they were here. Wrong place at the wrong time. But if it wasn’t them it would be someone else. No doubt some bigger bird was leaning on the goldfinches in the same way they were edging out Gretchen and her siskin family. The enemy of my enemy… well, truth be told they’d probably be my enemy too. That’s the way of things.
She flapped hard and stooped into a curving dive. A move she’d practiced hundreds of times with her sisters. If she popped up fast enough she’d knock her target from its perch. Not much, but it would gain her a few valuable seconds to snatch some food and bring it home. Enough to survive another day.
Her approach was good. Everything was perfect. Then it wasn’t. Gretchen didn’t know what had given her away. A stray splash of rain on her wing? A freak reflection? Sheer random bad luck? It didn’t matter. The goldfinch had spotted her.
The beast turned its snapping beak toward her. Raking talons slashed out.
Gretchen spread her wings and flapped hard. One beat. Two. She halted millimetres from her opponent.
The goldfinch screamed a challenge. “Come and take it if you dare!”
Gretchen yelled her twittering response. No meaning. Just raw desperation. She’d leave with food or not at all.
Time for alternative tactics. She pulled hard soaring above the goldfinch. It shrieked at her to stay away. Foolish creature. It assumed she was leaving. No chance. She feinted forward. Goading the goldfinch into moving.
It took the bait. “Back off!” it screeched. “My food.”
As if it could eat the whole lot. Greedy thing.
The goldfinch leaped into the air. Two powerful wingbeats and it was on her. Gretchen twisted aside. She couldn’t match the goldfinch’s power. Nor its straight line speed. Out-manoeuvring was another story.
The goldfinch lunged and she flitted aside. Its talons ruffled her tail feathers. Too close. Another feint. Another evasion. The goldfinch was on her tail now.
Gretchen’s heart pounded as she jinked wildly. She screamed defiance with her scant spare breath. This was taking too long. She couldn’t keep this up much longer.
Then: the most beautiful sound. A chirp of victory! Under cover of her dizzying flight her sister had darted in and snatched some food.
“You did it!” she trilled. “Go sister. Go now!”
Gretchen darted in herself, snatching a handful of food and fleeing.
Around the feeder stand. Double back. Through the weather vane and under the frog statue’s fishing line. Into the hedge. Safe at last. The goldfinch was too big to fly here. At least to large to fly quickly. She’d done it. Her family would eat. Live to fly another day.
Brandon Lim 