The birding community seems to think that the best days to take pictures of black birds are days flooded with sunshine. On those days, the black bird's feathers flame with iridescence. These folks seem to be searching for rainbows when the birds are, in fact, black.
Albedo, folks, drives the natural world. Why would a black bird be basking in the sunlight only to become hotter than hell? Instead, they seek the shade on sunny days to stay cool, preserve energy, and sit it out.
Today, on the other hand, was cloudy and cool, and a Congress of Ravens frolicked on our woody knoll. They were soaking up what little sunlight could be soaked through the clouds. Ravens, like most Corvids, are highly intelligent. They take advantage of nature as nature offers them advantages.
Thus, on the day after Black Friday, I stayed close to home with birds that appreciate thermodynamics,
Bird watching beats the hell out of shopping, and if you can throw in a little bit of natural history and physics along the way... well... that's just fun.
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