When I was a kid, I used to love scary movies. But then I would also be seriously disturbed by them. Alfred Hitchcock movies were some of my favorites. Psycho made it nearly impossible for me to take a shower for years without thinking about the possibility of a crazy granny coming in and trying to stab me with a butcher's knife.
The Birds, was a completely hokey movie, when looking back. But as a kid, it was pretty frightening to think of seemingly sweet & peaceful birds able to attack and kill you. My mom and sister used to taunt me by saying "Bodega Bay," the place that the movie took place to try and scare me. It always worked.
When I was in my early 20's, we visited Bodega Bay in California. I kept my eye on the birds while there, waiting for one to come at me and try some funny business. My dad took a photo of the group of us crazily running from the schoolhouse that had been in a scary scene in the movie...the children were chased and attacked on their way home from school. Yikes.
And ironically Bodega Bay became one of my favorite beaches when we moved to and lived in California. Happily, I was never attacked by one of their rabid, blood-thirsty birds.;-)
In Michigan, I was enjoying seeing seagulls again. I see them occasionally in OH, but they are a rare sight compared to when I lived in FL and CA.
I love how this guy was onto me and seemed to be coming in for the kill. Can't you see the evil gleam in his eyes?!! And then I shot him...BAM! No more fear!
Great capture Amanda! We were both taking bird photos today. Though I'm not sure any of mine will make it to the level of posting. I'm so glad to read how much you enjoyed Michigan!
Love your running commentary - through your emotional life! I had similar fears after viewing something - too much imagination. Now, Amanda, this is just a gentle soaring bird, loving the air and staying aloft with wing skills! He is not going to attack you - the worst he will probably do, is plop on your head!
Great funny story! I remember being scared of black birds when walking home from school after seeing that movie. I watched part of it as an adult and couldn't believe how fakey it is now! Lol. Your pic is a good one!
I'm not a fan of the gull. We were eating fish and chips in paper on Phillip Island, just south of Melbourne, when a gull swooped down and stole the whole fish off my Mum's lap! I'm sure I heard it laughing as it flew away.
@amandal Actually, Chicago is home to us -- we teach at University of Illinois at Chicago which is what brought us back there. But I grew up in a Chicago suburb til I left for college (in Michigan, coincidentally). We used to teach at MSU for many years, so that's our MI connection and when we built on Beaver Island. Glad you liked the UP. It's quite an amazing state!
Super gorgeous!!!!! Favillicious! So funny that you are all about The Birds with this feathered friend because I instantly thought of my old friend Jonathan Livingston Seagull! :-)
@tabbycat Ah, thanks kindly for the fav. Mr. Hitchcock really effected me. I'm so over my fear of birds. That was really kid stuff and just for fun here.
@amandal I must watch The Birds again. They menntioned it at the end of "Hitchcock". Have you seen that BTW? Anthony Hopkins is REALLY good as the fat old master himself!
@tabbycat No, but I will have to check it out. I really like Anthony Hopkins. Did you see "The Fastest Indian?" He starred in that as Burt Monroe...who was Maggiemae's (lady on 365) father in law...amazingly cool story.
@camim Such a Florida looking shot, huh? Where are you now? How does it compare to FL? I honestly would never go back to live there. Got my fill. I found CA and now OH to be much improved for so many reasons. Though I still love to visit and we have family there!
@edie Yeah. It's fun to trip, but hard to be away for so long. And man, so so tough to go through and catch up with photos. Still not done fully sorting my trip from two weeks ago. See you soon. Safe travels!:)
Fav-tastic!! I love the tilt of his head. There is a grace and beauty that I can't find the right words for.
Angelic! He looks angelic. You captured the heavens behind him perfectly. :-)
I took a similar shot in San Diego, 10 days after you took this. Mine did not come out NEARLY as good though, so I will not be posting it. :-p
But it was my first ever bird-in-flight shot.
And I'm with tabbycat. My first thought was good ol' Jonathan. I'm much more likely to think of Hitchcock when I see a murder of crows. Don't you love that a group of crows is a murder? LOL
Wonderful shot, so clear.
@taffy MI is home to you then? When you are off of school? What part? UP was amazing!!! Thanks, lady!
@maggiemae I don't really worry about being eaten by birds anymore. And luckily never plopped on yet. Thanks, Maggiemae!
@kwind Thank you, Kim!!
@twr Thank you, Timothy!
@eyesmile Gena...it really was...especially as a child. I don't know what my mom was thinking letting me watch some of the things I did. Thanks, lady!
@sugarmuser Thank you, Sharon!
@tonydebont Thank you, Tony. I loved how the composition worked here.
@rachelwithey Aw, thanks, my friend!
@softbootsailer Thank you!!
@janpenny Thanks, Jan!
@httpgeffed Thanks, Colleen!!
@bristolrose Thank you, lady!!
@megmills Ha! Thanks, Meg. I will post my rhino another day! Maybe Thursday. Rethinking my title...too suggestive.
@sbolden Thanks, Scott!!
@cathieg Thanks, Cathie!!
@bobfoto It didn't happen again, did it?! Jason???
@happysnap Thanks, Linda!!
@carolmw Thank you kindly, Carol!
@zam Thanks, Zam!!
@archaeofrog Ha...it so was. Thanks. I liked the look, too!
@psychographer Thanks, Lisa. Me, too!!
@catwoman2 Thanks, Mary. It's the story that I like the best!
@bardejov Aw, thanks, lady!!
@helixconcepts I know. Thanks, Laura!:)
@my_photofun Thank you kindly, lady!!
@alia_801 I did, too. Thanks, Alia!!
@paulaw I know. Thanks, Paula!!
@zambianlass Thanks so much!
@darrenboyj Thank you, Darren!
@northy Thank you, lady!
@edie Thanks, Edie. Where are your photos lately? Miss you!!
@camim Such a Florida looking shot, huh? Where are you now? How does it compare to FL? I honestly would never go back to live there. Got my fill. I found CA and now OH to be much improved for so many reasons. Though I still love to visit and we have family there!
Angelic! He looks angelic. You captured the heavens behind him perfectly. :-)
I took a similar shot in San Diego, 10 days after you took this. Mine did not come out NEARLY as good though, so I will not be posting it. :-p
But it was my first ever bird-in-flight shot.
And I'm with tabbycat. My first thought was good ol' Jonathan. I'm much more likely to think of Hitchcock when I see a murder of crows. Don't you love that a group of crows is a murder? LOL