Kites have been visiting my present workplace window for a long time now. On rare occasions there are two of them together, never more. Usually, it is a solitary bird visiting. A tangle of wires outside the glass window is like a perch to them. Does their obscure reflection on glass puzzle them endlessly? They stay a while, sometimes fidgety, other times calm, like taking a breather from what we perceive as effortless, wing-still flight. This relentless monsoon, one showcased a spiky moist head, like it had been to a trendy barber.
Apart from usually calm, sedate, eye-sharp bird watching sessions, there have been highlights. Rewards for a distracted, accidental observer. Once, the majestic bird stood there quietly pecking open mouse flesh. A barbaric moment of quiet shock. Another time clawing a bare chicken bone, probably pilfered from the butcher's. On a particular devilish grey day, I saw one swoop down on to the wires in a fierce trajectory. For one breathless second, I thought it would break through glass and carry away prey.
The dusty window, opaque glass, resultant reflection and sealed window does little to improve photograph clarity. But there is still a spread of green among the concrete, the twin roofs of a historic college and spread expanse of sky, cloud in the background. Often the office floor lights and cubicle shapes embed themselves in each picture, make the image a collage of contrasts.
Apart from usually calm, sedate, eye-sharp bird watching sessions, there have been highlights. Rewards for a distracted, accidental observer. Once, the majestic bird stood there quietly pecking open mouse flesh. A barbaric moment of quiet shock. Another time clawing a bare chicken bone, probably pilfered from the butcher's. On a particular devilish grey day, I saw one swoop down on to the wires in a fierce trajectory. For one breathless second, I thought it would break through glass and carry away prey.
The dusty window, opaque glass, resultant reflection and sealed window does little to improve photograph clarity. But there is still a spread of green among the concrete, the twin roofs of a historic college and spread expanse of sky, cloud in the background. Often the office floor lights and cubicle shapes embed themselves in each picture, make the image a collage of contrasts.
