Hoopoe Fanning Crest on Fence Post Twilight

Cool blue twilight washes the dry reed bed edges near Mersin as a hoopoe perches on a weathered wooden fence post. The bird fans its distinctive crest into a perfect, fan-shaped display of black and white bars tipped with orange. Soft low clouds hang heavy in the sky, diffusing the last light into a uniform silver-blue glow. Feathers on the bird's back show fine texture against the rough bark of the post. The bird remains motionless, its dark eye sharp against the pale plumage. One shadow stretches across the dry grass beneath the fence.