Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Original guided missile - a haiga F.Y.C.

Impact?
Reactions?

Dave

Haiga..guided missile

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Maybe swoops instead of stoops? Otherwise, I love the powerful visual of the raptor's shadow preceding its deadly strike.

Seeing the ties (jesses?) and knowing this is a captive falcon gives me a different reaction to the image. I know the sport of falconry is many centuries-old and the birds are extremely well cared-for; but for me, this is just not the same as seeing a free raptor in the wild.

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Linda!!! Wot happened?? you turned into a DAWG?

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Thanks for looking and for your comments, which are more fully understood than you might imagine. I considered "swoop" and "dive", but, the term "stoop" has specifically referred to a raptorial bird's controlled, high-speed descent at prey ever since the days of late Early English (Anglo-Saxon) and early Middle English.

As a long-time falconer who was actively involved with an extensive coterie of other raptor biologist-ornithologist-falconers associated with the Peregrine Foundation who labored for years to carry out captive breeding and controlled release of captive-bred falcons to re-establish the nearly extinct population of peregrine falcons East of the Rockies, I am rightly proud of the role falconry has played in raptor conservation. Those same falconer/biologists have been equally involved in re-establishing self-sustaining populations of the bald eagle in the "lower 48" as well as a number of other threatened and endangered raptor species elsewhere around the world.

(..and thanks for the opportunity to give a "shout-out" for the crucial role played by falconry and falconers in raptorial bird conservation.)

Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I suspected you had a compelling reason to use "stoop," but I'm glad I mentioned so you'd be able to educate me as to why :)

I also appreciate your information about falconry and re-introduction of nearly extinct birds. Very interesting and educational.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

You are very welcome, Linda. I try not to miss an opportunity to improve awareness of the contributions that many interest groups can make in the many realms of conservation. It seems all the more important now that we are facing clear and incontrovertible evidence of the validity of the concept of human-induced global climate change. As stewards of our Earth's biosphere, it's obvious we've been doing a pretty sloppy job!

Damn...where did all these soapboxes come from...????

Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

:thumbup:

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

And how old is your appealing old friend who serves as your new avatar?

Dave

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Uh oh...I think I have hi-jacked my own thread!
So yes, I am definitely interested in responses to the posted haiga!
Please.
Many thanks,
Dave

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Prefer the hijack lol. Delightful mutt.
Still struggle after all these weeks to get my head around this concept of word and image.
Image looks superb my friend absolutely stunning capture.
Simply for the reason I'm dumb and missing something I'm sure I would love to see this without the text which stoops and swoops but fails to move me.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

LOL, I pm'd a response to Jenny so I wouldn't hijack this thread, Dave :)

I have to say it's a bit disconcerting to find Trixie staring at me soulfully every time I post a comment! The reason I changed is I lost my other image due to "operator error" in my profile :)

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

I like the curve of the text. Change of color is also a great idea. Wondering if you meant "swoops" instead of "stoops"? Love the photo of the bird. Nicely done. Yes, it does have impact.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

I'm glad to hear you approved of curving, downward form of the poem's words. I am a fan of the increasing tendency over the past century for haiku to be acceptably altered in form to complement some aspect of the spirit and content of the poem.

Yes, I did question whether to use "swoop", "stoop", or "dive". Given over 50 years of involvement with raptor biology and falconry and the traditional terms that have been used in discussing raptor behavior, it was natural for me to settle on "stoop". I may, withal, well need to rethink that word choice, loath though I be to do so.

Thank you, Peter, for considering my image and poem in combination as a haiga, and your comments.

Dave

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Sincere apology Dave, I didn't mean to hijack your thread! Life is a bit chaotic lately and was headed for town so I "stooped" in and reacted.

Now, as for "stoops' or "swoops", it seems quite natural for those of us ignorant of the traditions of falconry to say "swoops", so interesting to learn the details you provide often re. birds of all sorts.
Sort of easy to see Billy's POV re. words and pictures though. When we get serious about Haiga, we shouldn't let the picture become secondary. The "pose" of the bird here is so very interesting, a "portrait"! I could wish all the background darker areas could be lightened considerably so the bird would stand out more against a pale background. Just an opinion...the dark menace, from the victim's position, against the bright sky. Is that reasonable?

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

I don't think I would change it because of other people's suggestions. It fits and, if it speaks to you, then it is correct for its purpose.