Oriental Magpie-Robin

Sometimes when I take photos of birds, I feel like they are avoiding me which, that’s fair. I’m a big human with a strange device. Wrens in particular are quite skittish and flee if they catch even a glimpse.

Sometimes, however, the birds come right to me! This magpie-robin is one of them! They were foraging on the ground and I was taking some photos when they hopped up on a post to stare directly at me for a few solid seconds! I felt perceived, like it was evaluating who I was and what I was doing. Perhaps it even wanted to pose for a photo? Regardless, it went back to doing its thing not long after!

It’s always fun when this happens. It makes me feel… happy? That the birds are curious and don’t view me as a significant enough of a threat to immediately flee from but instead allow themselves to investigate? It’s fun!
Wikipedia
eBird