It started out sort of joking about 10 years ago, but now I am definitely and unironically into birds. While I enjoy spotting a new bird, I also like observing common birds. If you pay attention they do some pretty neat things! So this week, I'd like to share some of my collection of photos of birds being cute.
I can't tell if this sparrow was spreading out on the sidewalk to stay warm or to cool off, but the way it looked at my camera felt like side-eye.
This pigeon walked by the BART fare gates in the 24th Street and Mission Station as though it intended to pay the fare and take the train. In the end, it did not, but I have also seen some pigeons inside the paid area, including pacing the platform just like an anxious commuter.
Sanderlings are some of my favorite birds, and I especially love seeing their vast flocks run back and forth along the waves at Ocean Beach. When I take pictures, however, I always think you can't tell how cute and little they are. Helpfully, a seagull stood next to them so now you can see how small they are.
When the waves go out, the sanderlings follow them and look for food in the wet sand. Sometimes all you see is a bunch of butts.
When the waves come back in, they run up the shore in a group, and all you see are these intense faces, beaks foreshortened by perspective.
Finally, here's my cover bird. Dark-eyed juncos are pretty common in San Francisco so you can observe them in all sorts of places. This little guy chose to judge me silently from among a field of daisies.