Sunday afternoon was a time for a walk to the park. After a hard ride the day before, I wasn’t interested in taking pictures. I just wanted to walk, get some air and relax my legs.

As I walked through the park, I saw a jackdaw sitting on a stone wall next to some old stone steps. It was there, quietly looking at everything happening around. I stopped for a moment and watched the bird. It was close enough for a photo, so I decided to take one.

I sat on the side of the steps and pulled out my camera. The patient jackdaw didn’t seem to mind me at all. It stayed right where it was while I got the camera ready and found a spot. I had plenty of time to make adjustments without feeling rushed.

Then I took the photo.

After that the jackdaw flew away.

It made me think if it had been waiting patiently for its portrait to be taken. Maybe I was just lucky, in the right place, at the right time? Either way, this patient jackdaw made an ordinary Sunday walk into a wildlife moment.

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The seasons are changing, and golden autumn is just around the corner. If you enjoy wildlife, landscapes and stories from the road, visit the blog and follow along for the next season of photographs on Shutter & Saddle.