Every morning on my way to work, I see these wacky pigeons hanging out, warming themselves on the streetlights. As they line up just so, perfectly spaced evenly apart, nobody touching anybody else, they make me laugh. Who knew personal space is a big deal with the pigeon set?!Driving always frustrates me as I see so many great photo ops that I can't take advantage of. I'm not sure why I feel that actually driving the car is my first priority--nobody else seems to do that. You wouldn't believe the amount of folks driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic reading, eating, texting, talking on the phone, putting on make-up, etc. Sheesh.
Anywho, I finally succumbed at the stoplight the other day, grabbed my cell phone and took this shot. I love those wacky birds and I don't care if the car next to me wondered what I was taking a shot of, I was gonna get that photo. Okay, it's not great quality, but the subject is funny. I mean, who decides what personal space is for birds anyway? Apparently, it's like 3 inches.
Now if I can subtly get the dude picking his nose....
24 comments:
My daily Kindergarten subject learned the boundary of my personal space when he grabbed my face and tried to kiss me on the lips. LOL When I drew him my imaginary lines he kept poking his head forward and saying "am I in your personal space...now...now." I kept a straight face when really I wanted to laugh. Maybe I need to take the cute little guy to see the pigeons? ;-)
It seems those birds don't mind a little togetherness! LOL!
xo Catherine
I wonder why no birds want to go on the straight pole? It is wider, so maybe it has the wrong width-to-birdfeet proportion.
Your drive-time: a source of amusement for us. Thank you.
This pic was certainly worth the car wreckage risk! I tried to take a pic on the freeway one day. With my phone, and as I was hanging out the window doing 65...did it occur to me that I might kill myself?
nope.
What I thought was "I could really drop my phone here and then I'll have to pay full price for a new one"
My priorities apparently flew out the window that day too!
I guess pigeons know what is best for them...
Great photo...
Perhaps the space between birds directly correlates with the space needed for each bird to stretch out each wing. Otherwise, when Mr. Pigeon wanted to stretch, he'd whap poor Miss Pigeon off the post into the traffic below...
Haha...that's great! I know personal space is one of those things that's funny for us to attribute to other species, but, really is important for all!
Quick funny story: we had to board our cats when we went to FL, and we usually have them in the same cage since they are siblings and get along fine. This time when we went to pick them up, the vet said that they had to separate them because Lucy (8 LB girl) was so mean to Langley (17 LB boy) and was swatting at him every time he moved! We laughed pretty hard at that because at home, he beats up on her. I guess she just got sick of him and wasn't having it!
With people, personal space is a cultural thing. North Americans want a big bubble, while in other cultures folk stand close enough to spit on each other as they speak. Do you suppose pigeons from different places are like that? Sometimes, I wonder about things like that.
I think that is so funny. Just hope your car doesn't have to hang around long,LOL.
That's cute. I've always laughed at the way birds will perch along the powerlines or stop light poles. It's hilarious. Now, if the people in Target could grasp the concept of personal space.
Jen
PS: That's actually a good picture to have been taken with a phone :)
Perhaps they put out their little wings like we used to do in band (only we had arms don't you know) so that we would be spaced perfectly apart.
No body likes a "close-percher".
I was going to suggest the same that Rebecca did - the space is necessary for them to take off and fly successfully. I think that's why you always see the smaller birds landing and rearranging themselves in flurries - one of them lands just a little too close for proper clearance and it screws up the ratio for everyone else so they have to re-settle!
I have become quite adept at taking photos while in my car. I'm always afraid someone is going to honk at me to move along when the light changes and I am still trying to zoom into my shot. Taking ones as a passenger in a moving vehicle is also challenging - but I generally get a clear shot amongst all the blurry ones.
I always see the best things to take pictures of when I'm driving. I'm going to have to follow your lead and start pulling out the cell phone. Love those pigeons, unbelievable how evenly spaced they are.
I like to imagine what they think of us? Do they wonder why we complete this metal movement in such North/South East/West directions..... and in such heavy volumes early .....and then later? Are they impressed with the big SUV or the larger trucks? And why are there some days when it suddenly is non existent?
As far as they go, why is it most face one direction, and a few goofs chose to sit the other? Are they the artistic ones? Are they choosing to be "different"?
Today's news talks about Americans walking less than the rest of the world. Drive up windows at all our needs. Now we are even taking our poetic scenes on the fly, from the car. Or is it that our world IS what we see in passing by at 40mph. I say STOP the car. Get out and really explore. (uhhh wait... sorry Lin, forgot you're the one with the backyard menagerie...butterflies, frogs, possums, ehhe ....you're excused) Fran's Dad
They line up like that here too, but I never thought about it like that. Very funny!
Great pict! It would be funny if they all "bombed" at once...well,funny for everyone except the car underneath!
Maybe if they are too close together they will bump wings if they have to make a quick getaway.
Dark windows help with the ability to take photos of dudes picking their nose. Just sayin.
So true! Around here there are a couple rows or powerlines that are the fave hangouts of the birds -- hundreds of them sometimes, I think. 3 inches sounds about right.
Hope you made it through the whole kitten video... Hehe. I kept going back to watch it again and again today. :)
Jodi--Oh, that's funny! I think I would have laughed.
Catherine--Well, even spaced togetherness.
Daisy--I don't know. There is another street light on the other corner with more birds. I guess they like those lights for some reason. Birds are wacky.
Vanilla--Oh, I haven't begun to tell you stories of my commute!
peewee--I was stopped at a light and that's how I got the photo. I couldn't drive and take photos!! I'm glad you have your priorities straight.
Pricilla--Maybe they are bird hoodlums hanging out on the corner. I'm always looking to make sure Bernice isn't with them. ;)
Grace--Well, the quality isn't there, but my options were few. They make me laugh so I had to get the shot of them sitting there.
Rebecca--I think you are right! But how do they know the exact spacing??? Do you think they stick out their wings to measure?? ;)
Nancy--I love your cat story! I guess they need more space than just a cage, eh? I guess I don't blame Lucy--boys can be really annoying.
Chuck--I would think the temperature would have something to do with how close they sit too. I'll watch in the winter and let you know.
Auntie E--Thank goodness I wasn't parked under them!!
Jen--Pigeons always seem to hang out together, but I never really noticed the space thing until I saw this. I wonder if they will get closer as the weather gets colder?
Highway--So, they are like marching band birds????! I like that!
Bumbles--There is no way I can take a photo and drive--I am an idiot. And my drive is like the Grand Prix anyway--I'd end up rear-ending someone. I think Rebecca is right, but I'm still amazed at how they know what exactly is the right space for wings.
Ann--I never have my good camera with me when I need or want it. Thank goodness for lame cell phone photos! At least we have something.
Fran's Dad--Yeah, don't you wonder what the animals are thinking of us? I know my frogs do a lot of just sitting and watching us. Maybe we are like frog TV or something. I think there are lots of cool things happening right under our noses, Mike, and that is I'd like to think my blog is about. Most of my adventures and stories take place in the back 40--feet! You wouldn't believe how small my yard is. It's all about taking the time to look, that's all.
Sharky--It's funny how you just notice stuff like that and it makes you laugh. I like that.
Melodie--Oh, don't encourage them!!
Beaded Tail--I think you are right. But how do they know the perfect spacing for that?? Do they stick their wings out to measure?
Cute--I LOVED your kitten video! Dang, that was the cutest little guy! And those blue eyes. :) At least he made it through the whole song. And yes, I watched it 3 times!
There's a street in my hometown that has lots of birds perching closely on the electric cables. But the birds are no where to be seen during the Hungry Ghosts Month!! They're back again when the month ends - when the ghosts return to Hades.
How do ya explain that?
For *sure* I am one of the birds on the far light with that huge space in between. I'd need that same amount of space on the other side though.
Bird really are amazing to me. I still don't understand why they take a bath in dirt in the summer sometimes. Is it like adding baby powder to your hair when it's greasy?
Veronica--Oooooh, that's a creepy story! I guess they are scaredy birds!
CG--I don't get birds either and I have never owned one. Yeah, what is with the dust bath? Chinchillas do that too--you have to buy special dust for them to take a bath in. WHAT???! Maybe that is why the birds need all that space--they are stinky!
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