December 22, 2024 4:49 pm
Male Wood-duck In High Park Toronto
In A Flap With Photographers
Stretching Out
Stretching out the wings, give a flap.
Preen myself up, gotta look good for mama.
“QUACK!”
woody preening
High Park in Toronto, has such a variety of niche-type places for photographers to acquaint themselves.
Not just for photographers, but everyone.
The park stretches out from Grenadier Pond at the south end, to Bloor Street at the north, then Parkside Drive at the east boundary, to Ellis Park Road at the west.
400 acres to try to find what recreation you seek.
There is too much to list everything in this post, and in all fairness, –each to their own.
One of my photo trips to High Parks’ Grenadier Pond, left me feeling
saddened with human behavior.
stretching out her leg
A pair of Wood-ducks were allowing me to watch their paddling play, often coming very close to where I was photographing at the ponds edge.
They were more than likely looking for treats that I do not provide.
I feel too alone in that regard.
woody paddling around
Many park visitors to the pond, seem to have a sole purpose of feeding the wildlife, despite all the signs that state the opposite!
More on that topic in a follow-up post.
Ms. woody paddling around
A rolling-rumble from behind stirred my curiosity.
I turned around to find a photographer making his way toward me with several cameras hanging around his neck.
Following behind him an assistant pushing a wheel-barrow of HUGE lenses.
One of them as long as my arm!
Photog started throwing what he revealed later, were handfuls of frozen peas and corn at the ducks.
I was photographing peacefully and did not expect such a rude intrusion to the scene.
Gob- Smacked!
Yeah I was!
“They love it.. it’s just to get a reaction for me to capture,” he stated in that matter of fact tone..
My reply…, “OK, you got it,…..and one from me”
I stood up and meandered on the foot-path around the northern pond perimeter, whilst the wing-flapping-feeding-frenzy took place.
The Wood-duck courting-couple must have separated, ‘Woody’, the male, scooted into view and paddled along-side of me on the foot-path.
I felt a kind of kinship, yeah!
Along came the photog and the wheel-barrowing assistant following in his foot-steps. The plopping of ‘pea n corn’ mix continued, as did my westward movement, as did the intrusive paparazzi.
“Woody” settled ahead in a shallowing and started to preen, raising his wings.
My camera captured. So did the photogs’.
Thanks “Woody!”
I was teetering on getting in a ‘flap’ myself.
There really is no point in trying to have dialog with people with such self-centered attitude.
It ends…in a flap!
Please believe me, I have tried numerous times and failed at each attempt. When “Mind your own {you know the rest},” is directed my way using anger to mask their obvious social short-comings, it’s time to take my leave and let them be aware that my business was being minded, peacefully, before their arrival.
I try to be un flap able.
’nuff said.
Adios.
I hope we don’t meet again.
“QUACK”
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