A Blue Tit master of chiaroscuro

Bird photography is all about closeness and light. Sometimes the two arrive together and provide the perfect combination.

This Blue Tit shows its colours beautifully in the winter light against a dark background. The blue is iridescent. It’s probably also bright in ultra-violet, which Blue Tits can see, but which we cannot:

Blue Tits are very dextrous and use their toes to hold food while they peck it. I assume it’s possible for a Blue Tit to be left footed as well as right-footed, so this one might be sinistrous.

Although since dexterity is usually with the hands, we could always call this one pedidextrous. Let’s just say they’re ‘good with their feet’ shall we?

With closeness and light comes a greater experience of the natural world. And if Caravaggio did bird photography, this is the light he would have wanted.