It was so good of you all to put me into the final of the Blog Awards 2013 Thank you! What can I say?
For about 30 seconds after I heard the news I was delighted, but then performance anxiety set in and I wanted to go right back into the burrow and hide! Rabbit, headlights.
Immediate next thought? What kind of rabbit would have to be pulled from the hat for my next blogpost? Nothing would be good enough.
It was all rabbits, burrows, hats and headlights. That’s when this pheasant came striding out of the long grass. He puffed himself up, strutted up to my window and the cheeky divil even winked at me saying, look at me, just LOOK at ME!
I didn’t wish he was less of what he is, or a bit more rabbity, or a bit less in my face. I lapped him up, his crimsons and golds, his feathery coat, his cock sure command of the world. We are what we are.
The rabbit in the headlights moment has mercifully passed, I have a subject for this week’s blog and I didn’t even have to lie out in a wet field to capture the photos.
More golden colour in the Autumn Gallery here
Such colors on this marvelous creature!
Ah thank you Jenny, hard to believe this exotic creature is wild in Ireland isn't it?
Rabbit, headlights. Pheasant, headlights! I am all to aware that whenever I am out driving on the lanes up on the moors here and pheasant appears on the side of the road, you can almost always guarantee that, in their panic, they will inevitably run in front of the car, not into the hedgerow! So I am reminded always to slow down more than I think I need to.
You've brought out the iridescence of their wonderful colouring very well, Catherine.
Thank you so much John, lovely to hear from you. They keep a low profile here at the best of times, it is unusual for one to come wandering up to the house anyway. Luckily I have never hit one with the car but one flew into my bedroom window and died instantly last year!
By the way, congratulations on your blog award. It was always a pleasant experience to visit your rambles down the lane, even in its previous versions (remembering when I used to visit over two years ago), but it is especially attractive in its new form and you have retained that intimate air in your photographic essays.
John, those were the days, we were all learning to tweet and blog, such great fun. I don't have as much time to chat there these days. I'm glad I haven't gone too slick then, that's very important!!!
The colours are amazing! Congrats on your nomination, so well deserved
Thanks Joanna, he is a regal creature for sure:~))
stunning photos
Ah thanks you:~))
Stunningly beautiful bird and stunningly beautiful photography. And your award is much deserved – bravo!
Thank you Astrid, very kind of you:~))
Wonderful photos.. the colours on the pheasant are simply stunning.
Julie :o)
Thank Julie, he is a handsome specimen alright:~))
These are really fabulous. And so obliging of him to turn up for a studio session. Any pheasant I see, disappears before I can even reach for the camera.
Congrats on making the final – you'll be grand.
I love that Mairead! "You'll be grand" Sure I will indeed:~))
What an incredible portrait session! Love!
Thanks Robin, A lucky break, and great fun to eyeball this guy! x
Congratulations on being a finalist! And what a handsome bird!
Thanks Indie, he is wonderful isn't he:~))
Wow, I think these are the most fabulous pictures I ever saw. He is so beautiful!!!! We have lots of pheasants here, I tried to photograph them often, but I am always too late. These photos are so clever……..Thank you.
Janneke, I was just very lucky, I know exactly what you mean, birds are very tricky to photograph!
So very pretty, isn't nature wonderful.
O every day I think so too:~))
Stunning photographs! The way you capture the colours, texture of feathers, the expression of the bird is truly awesome. Let the pheasant be blessed for being so inspiring!
Thank you Amelie, he is so very exotic, and I agree the feathers are beautiful :~)
O he is a stunning chap and your pictures are incredible as always!!
I write things down as well, I have a cute book where I write down my blog ideas, I schedule them into my Ipad along with everything else I need to do for work and other projects and meetings and then I also make notes in my phone if I am on the go. hid kit