Birdman

Photo by me

The other day I came across this post by The Lil Bee and was reminded of our trip to Cape Town. It was the day R proposed. We had just got back to the hotel room after a wonderful trip to Boulders Beach, an engagement and a lovely champagne brunch.

I looked out the window of our hotel room and across the way stood a very kind looking elderly man on a roof top with hundreds of pigeons surrounding him. After watching him for a few minutes I realized he wasn't just feeding them, he was directing them.

Like a conductor to his orchestra the birds were flying in unison with every command and gesture. It was astonishing to witness and beautiful all at the same time.

Photo by Martha Madness

So when I stumbled across Bee's post and the memory came rushing back, I Googled (gotta love Google) "Cape Town Birdman" and found this! Amazing! They filmed a documentary about him which was shown at the Heart Of Gold International Film Festival.

The synopsis: In a coastal suburb of Cape Town lives a charming elderly gentleman, who over a period of 15 years has gained the trust and friendship of the pigeons near his home by feeding and interacting with them every day. Over time he has put together a highly original and engrossing show, where he has taught the birds some remarkable tricks. They listen to him and trust him completely. His endearing love for the birds shines through, and although his income solely relies on donations from neighbors and friends for his show, he spends most of it on feeding and caring for the birds. Birdman is the remarkable and beautifully filmed story of an unemployed man, making a living from what he loves most.

photo by Miss Kimberly Clark

I can only imagine it will be a beautiful and remarkable story and I feel so blessed that I was able to witness his magic with my own eyes. I hope you will check it out, too.
Cheers to you Birdman.