Japanese Water Fountain - the story

[DigitalScape]

During my visit to the UK in May of this year, I spent a few days in London. One of those days my wife and I went to the Kew gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens). As we walked around we came to the Japanese Gardens section. There I saw a nice water fountain with water coming out of a bamboo pipe into a small pool of water. I want to get a photo of this, and started to get the camera set to take a long exposure. After a few minutes of adjusting the setting and tweaking the place I was bracing the camera (no tripod with me), I was ready to shoot (I was using the camera's two-second delay so I could release the shutter and take my hands off the camera to eliminate camera shake). Everything is ready and I shoot. Just as I release the shutter (for the two-second delay), a bird lands on the fountain.



Bird: Excuse me Yank, but this is my fountain.
Me: My apologies, Mr. Bird. I would really like to take a photo of this fountain. I flew a long way to get here, and this is my only day that I will be at the Kew gardens.
Bird: I see; I guess I can allow this. Please go ahead.



So I get set and releases the timer for the shutter ...
Bird: PSYCH!! Photo BOMB!!



Bird: Did you really believe a talking bird???



Well, I finally got the photo I wanted.



PS: I am not too sure I got all of what the bird was saying; it had an accent.

[Rita]

Hi John, your commentary has given me such a good laugh! You have to watch out for those talking birds

[Dave Humphries]

Good series and even better story John,

Thanks for giving me a morning chuckle and putting a smile on my face that's still there now!

Cheers, Dave

[DigitalScape]

Thank you Rita and Dave. My wife was enjoying all this (I could hear the laughing behind me), and she was rooting for the bird (a Jackdaw, I have been told).

[ccphoto]

You cannot plan or expect serendipitous moments but you can take advantage of them as you have. Fun stuff!

[IzzieK]

Wonderful story, John…Thanks for the laughs. You are really good…