Giant Flamingo Wades in Quito Valley Lake

Hard noon light flattens the green valley near Quito, casting sharp, short shadows across the dry earth and the still surface of the oxbow lake. The water reflects the bleached sky with a mirror-like intensity. Towering above the reeds, a flamingo the size of a giraffe stands in the shallow water, its pink feathers stark against the muted greens and browns of the Andean landscape. Wind whips the tall grass along the shoreline, bending the stalks in a single direction. The bird's long neck stretches upward, breaking the horizon line, while its webbed feet remain submerged in the calm water. A reflection of the massive bird ripples slightly on the lake's surface, distorting the geometric rule of thirds lines formed by the distant mountains.