Pigeons Roost Under Amber Streetlights in Xian

Amber streetlight glow washes the wet asphalt below, creating a slick mirror for the steel girders overhead. Beneath the concrete overpass, a cluster of pigeons huddles within the dark recesses of the steel beams, their feathers ruffled against the damp air. To the side, a bus shelter steams up, condensation blurring the glass panels where the dry season air meets the warmth of waiting commuters. Dramatic, heavy clouds loom above the city skyline, pressing low against the pre-dawn sky. The wet ground reflects the orange light in long, distorted streaks that end abruptly at the edge of the shelter's metal frame. One pigeon turns its head, revealing the iridescent sheen on its neck against the rust-colored steel.