SteemitPhotoChallenge Entry - Ornithophobia

I was recently promoting a series of marathons I was doing in support of an Australian kids charity Bravehearts.
During our fundraising I was referred to as brave on a number of occasions, for committing to multiple long runs.

As I'm not fearful of running far, I didn't view myself as brave. Surely you need to be fearful first, in order to be brave.

So I took on a challenge to promote Bravehearts, in which I truely needed to be brave.

I am Onithophobic. Terrified of Birds!! Yes, that is actually a thing, I have been bird phobic for as long as I can remember.
So I decided to have a bird encounter. Now I don't like to do things by halves, so a budgie (as scary as they are), wouldn't cut it, so I chose the deadliest bird I new of. I would have an up close and personal encounter with a Cassowary.

Okay then...........

I met this creature at Featherdale Wildlife Park, a lovely little Australian native wildlife park, in Western Sydney. If you haven't heard of the Cassowary before, imagine an Emu crossed with a Velociraptor. While they are actually, apparently, a fairly shy creature, they have been know to kill people when they feel threatened. They are fast, and have huge sharp talons.

I took this photo on my Iphone 5. So yes I was that close to it, to be able to get this image on a phone.

This is the image I clicked when it lunged.

Yes it was scary, but no way near as scary as a pigeon. Those bloody things are horrifying!!!!

#steemitphotochallenge #photography