i-Ronny

How much do we have the freedom to do whatever we please and how much are we blind robots carrying out biological imperatives?

I’m walking the west coast of Westray, travelling north, in one of my favourite spots when I see a Northern Wheatear. I’ve seen them before:

I’d love a decent photograph of one as they’re tricky birds to get close to:

Northern Wheatear - Westray - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Perky, aren’t they?

They raise the alarm and their family scatters as I scramble over shattered rocks. I like this one legged pose:

Northern Wheatear - Westray - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Today’s is a much better attempt at getting close than my previous forays.

They’re very loyal to location and pre-programmed to react whenever they see a potential threat and, no matter what I do, I will always be a perceived threat. I decide to note on my phone the precise spot so I can come back to the exact same place and get some better photographs. It’s then that the irony hits me.

Patterns in behaviour. We all have them. We just interpret them as being primitive and compulsive in animals and ignore them or claim agency over them in ourselves.

I’ll be back.

Leave a Reply to Kay Davidson Cancel reply