Wednesday 19 June 2013

Magpie

I wish I had a picture but we all know what they look like. This one perched on the new railing of the Hemingway Studio in the Leighton Artists' Colony, Banff Centre. It appeared to bend over and rub its eye in a spot of rainwater. It straightened up; I thought I caught it blinking once or twice. This happened again, same eye.
I'm sure you've guessed by now that the magpie was in fact sipping from the rainwater. Sideways must work best for a beak like that. (I'd call that magpie left-beaked.)
The black cat included in the previous post, fresh from its appearance in a poem in honour of Wilf Perrault's alley work, had just this morning been given the job of screensaver.
As the magpie drank, thought that's not the right word for it (might even take more than one), the cat was staring right at him. But wouldn't turn around.

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