Flight 1

Mitch is on a mission to get good shots of birds in flight. Quite challenging, he says, but clearly he enjoys the challenge. 

The inexpensive camera does not help. The shutter speed is too slow and there is no way to use a tripod. It can zoom OK, but not like a birder's scope and anyway when you zoom more than a little  you need the tripod and shutter speed.

And the birds are not exactly cooperative.

Talk about a sitting target. Mitch has taken a number of these and gotten close a couple of times to getting a good shot. I suggested he keep plugging; we see potential here.

Where's the bird? Look again. The next bird is manifested only by its vapor trail. Mitch liked this picture. I did not, but give the artist his due. 

This is The Wall, and that is David, another well-heeled regular who likes The Wall for the good company of its denizens. No birds, but I thought it time to introduce The Wall properly. David likes to preach and knows his bible. When the evangelicals set upon us he is good to have around -- he has yet to meet his match.

Unfortunately Dave himself reliably goes off on his own proselytizing about two sentences into any conversation one might try to have with him but I have learned he responds well to, "Is this a sermon?" unlike the evangelical who approached me while I was doing tai chi and feigned interest and listened courteously for a minute as I explained it before commencing to save me. Sadly, he refused to stop preaching until I threatened to have him arrested for harassment at which point he stopped on a dime making me think I was not the first. Later Joe told me the guy was another Dave and a regular.

No, I have not forgotten the birds. But if I can be allowed one more digression...

 Is tai chi flying? I stopped by Master William CC Chen's school when I was in New York City for a weekend and took my first private lesson ever. I learned a lot because it has been years since I have taken a class and Master Chen is always finding new ways to convey the art and one of the things he mentioned is that tai chi is swimming in air. Close, but we better get back to the real deal.

Yes, I am easily distracted.

Mitch's persistence paid off when he caught a pelican on the prowl...

 And now for our last groups of aviators.

I look forward to the fruits of Mitch's continuing mission.