“Little Dave” Part 4: “Life with Deb”

Author David Rennie ◦

After a few days the strangest thing I noticed is how “Little Dave” then dealt with Deb, he slowed down, was more deliberate, spent time next to her, around and with her. They walked through the water together, touch, kinda bumped or rub each other, he ate fish he caught and shared, but not all of them. It was as if Jezebel was this crazy time, frenetic, mass excitement and Deb was way more thought through, very deliberate in his actions. They would just stand there close together and really do nothing, just stand, and was for me the start of how I watched my prey after that.

Now Deb was a Ballerina, as graceful a bird as I had ever seen, she would suddenly just start dancing and Little Dave would Stop, prop and drop everything and watch her, transfixed he would get, one time I thought he was hypnotised. Then she would come closer and Little Dave would start dancing and eventually they got together and some times it was so exquisite, so beautiful, I would put the camera down (TIP!!!!!! DON’T EVER DO THAT) and just watch.

I am not sure how long this went on for, no I did not ever see the deed done, I did find where Deb was building the nest, then never went back.

Understand, I don’t feel that I need to disturb birds around their nesting sites. I have a couple images only of birds nests, one a Swan that I just nearly trip over in the water, and a Spoonbill, but that story is for later. Everyone has to make their own Moral ground on what they feel is right or wrong, not going to preach on that.

So now Little Dave was fishing and flying off, then Deb came and did the same, some times they would just take what seemed like time out, preened, stood, stared, got their breath back. This went on for a number of weeks. I am sure they got slower as the weeks rolled on, every now and then Dave would have his crazy, chasing fish times, run, jump dart this way and that but on the whole it was more calculated. I thought that reminds of when you do the weekly shop, big list, just got to get in there and get it all and get out. Then there are the times, you go in for a top up, you meander around, see this and go, Wow have not had that for awhile, like to try that, that looks different and you come out with a heap of stuff you did not “NEED” But what the heck. Kinda like that.

Dave was just getting better and better and I was learning so much watchin him. I suddenly realize that I knew what he was going to do just before he did it and I was moving just before he did, he stayed in focus, just where I wanted him to be and the days of 4 good shots from 10 became ”” 9 ””. My world of photography just changed for ever.

Although they both worked so hard to catch enough tucker for the kids they found a bit of gentle time for them selves, they would just go stand under a tree or bush and you could see em just exhale and chill for a spell, these were the best times and I was now hooked for life.

TIP TIME
Understanding your “Prey” and I use that word because Humans have been stalking Prey since from the beginning. Any mob worth their salt, studied, watched, learned all they could about what they were stalking, they learned to act before there prey acted and that’s what happened for me. I had 3 main birds, I got so good at understanding their “TELLS” just like a poker player. Osprey will tell you he is going to drop from the flight plan and hit a fish before he does it, THIS means you can move just before he does and you are still focused on him as he dives, instead of going, “Where did it go”. But you have to spend the time, the Apprenticeship if you like, the “RIGHT” to know.