Where did everybody go?

I saw a flock of tiny birds just off the trail, sparrows perhaps, jumping around in the undergrowth. There were eight or so of them.

I stopped, then putting aside my trekking poles, I reached for my camera, which was dangling from its strap. All the while, the little birds flew to another tree, chirping as they flew in a flurry among the branches.

I realized that my camera didn’t have the lens on, so I reached into my pocket.

The birds flocked quickly across the trail. It was really fascinating to see them work as a group but splitting my attention between them and the camera was distracting.

The lens didn’t fit properly on the first try, so I had to unscrew it and try to get it just right. The strain of the hike and the weight of the backpack on my back, made it all the more tricky to fit the lens.

Seconds ticked.

The birds chirped, frolicked, and rhythmically glided through the branches in a marvelous spectacle.

At last, I managed to attach the darn lens, but by then, the birds had disappeared deeper into the forest, and only this little guy remained. It quickly flew off the branch, and soon it too was gone.

While this is not an official entry, this post was inspired by @nelinoeva #SMaP theme for this week: Alone.