Intricate Works by Nature

A few days ago, I heard a thump against the window and found a little bird spreadeagled on the ground in front of the window. It was a female goldfinch that had crashed against the glass and lost control over her bodily functions. Her heart was beating very fast and her eyes were closing and opening slowly as I nestled her in my palm. Her legs were distorted and clutching some grasses still. Slowly, her consciousness returned. She was able to move first one leg, then the other, then stand up on my hand.

She looked at me, entirely unafraid, and clear-eyed. Suddenly, without warning, she flew off into the nearby bushes.

This is what our goldfinches look like: the female (on left) is more olive-colored while the male (on right) has a bright yellow feather coat.

female goldfinch

male goldfinch

I was happy that I was there to protect her from any predators (cats on one side of the house, dogs on the other) and that she was able to recuperate fully. She was so light in my hand, barely weighed anything. I studied the delicate and intricate markings of her feathers. Of course, I did not have my camera on hand while I was holding this little bird in my hands. However, I’ll use some earlier photos of a dead bird, slightly larger than the goldfinch

to illustrate the intricate layering of the feathers:

The last picture, in particular, reminds me of a woven herringbone fabric pattern. Is it surprising to see nature’s patterns show up in the works of human artists and craftspeople?

The WordPress Photo Challenge this week is “Intricate.”