true blue
another take on yesterday’s cache. there’s not much true blue in nature, so when i find it i have to celebrate it. these wings aren’t actually blue–they are simply reflecting blue light. blue birds, like blue jays, get their color because each feather is made up of light-scattering, microscopic beads spaced in a way that everything except blue light is cancelled out. blue on any animal (including humans’ blue eyes) is due to some kind of light reflection of this type. The only exception is the obrina olivewing butterfly, which is the only known animal in nature that produces blue pigment. enjoy the reflection.
mallard wing feathers
I just finished reading a book called “The Feather Thief”. It was about a heist, at the Tring Natural History museum, of 100’s of bird skins stolen for their feathers to be used to create Victorian fishing flies. This photo reminded me of that book, although mallard feathers are not rare or on the CITES list (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
I bought that book! But when I got home, it wasn’t in my bag.
My son ties his own flys. I was so excited to read it.
Do you recommend it?