Beware, my friend, of crystal brook
Or fountain, lest that hideous hook.
Thy nose, thou chance to see;
Narcissus’ fate would then be thine,
And self-detested thou would’st pine,
As self-enamored he.
– William Cowper, On an Ugly Fellow
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.
Great photo!
Man, your camera is better than my eyes.
Thanks to both of you!
Wow–That’s a fantastic shot…very rare to see a bird looking at his reflection in a natural setting! How close WERE you??
He wasn’t even that close. I’d guess we were at least 20 feet from the bird, across the small stream it was drinking from. I kept hoping the cardinal would attack its reflection, thinking it was a rival, but, as the poem points out, this bird knew it was his reflection!
Of all the fabulous photos I’ve seen on your blog, this one ought to be framed. What are the chances? I would hang this in my house.
I’m flattered! If you’d like, Bonnie, I can send you the digital file.
Cool! That would be great!
I would love to get your permission to use this photo in an educational passive interpretive sign where, besides highlighting your photo (and crediting it to you of course) there would be a blurb about male territorial behaviors which include pecking at side mirrors of parked cars, but not reflections in still water (unless evidence comes up that they do that too!) I volunteer for a 501 non-profit wildlife sanctuary in Indiana.