A Bird of a Different Feather

I went on a day trip to Flamingo Gardens in Davie, FL to get some photos of their birds. I heard tale of the peacocks running around the grounds and thought it would be a nice outing and good practice for my photography. The stories are true. Peacocks, peahens, and peachicks can be found throughout the park, not to mention ibis, flamingos, swans, pelicans, etc. (You can hand feed them!) A bird nerd paradise, if you will.

The fellow in the painting hung out with me under the porch during a rainstorm and allowed me to get some really good shots. He was also really chatty during our time together.

My grandfather raised peacocks in Cuba, and our family has long associated any peacock sighting as a visit or sign from him. I like to think we spent that afternoon together on a warm Florida summer day, sitting on a porch shooting the shit while the rain came down.

I also like to think the feeling of hanging out with ancestors comes through in the painting.