I was in Grand Haven, on the end their famous lighthouse pier, when I spotted this gorgeous blue and yellow macaw, being taken out for a stroll. I asked if I could take a picture, for which permission was graciously granted. I have permission to photograph the bird (but not the owner), and I'm sorry I didn't get her name, because she told me after raising the bird from an egg about twenty years ago, she's since made a business with her bird, which is tame (and trained) enough to perch on strangers.[1]
None of my shots were that great, but at least the bird's face is lit in this one. Olympus e620, zuiko 50mm macro prime, F8 1/250sec, 0 ev.
F2tE (and come to think, hir best friend) love birds, so I wanted this picture for them. (UPDATED 2017 to add...) So it's not entirely surprising that some years’ later, f2tE would end up with hir own macaw. Twice as old and half as tame, his owner wasn't comfortable taking him outside without jesses, so I have only this indoor picture.
Green winged macaw, LumixDMC-LX100 shot 20170925.
Someday I'll have to make some art featuring these beautiful animals.
[1]Having lived with a real live macaw for a bit, I have a much greater appreciation for this feat: macaws’ powerful beaks can snip your fingers off and their screeches are looouuuuudddd. Cockatiels are more my speed, though the fact that they scatter poop & food everywhere makes me very very glad we don't have carpet.
Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.
