Zeke and I went out Saturday on a photo mission. We heard the fire department was going to burn down a house but we couldn't find it. So we headed down to the Rivermill Complex to try and photograph ducks instead.

There were Merganser's along the shoreline and I had Zeke sit while I tried to sneak up on them. Just as I started snapping photos a loud sound approached and the ducks made a run...er...wing for it. A helicopter was landing.

Not sure if they were having engine problems or just needed an emergency t-shirt from Big Green T's but they landed in the Rivermill lot. A few folks gathered around to watch. A young kid from up the street came over and exclaimed, "There's never been a helicopter HERE before!"

It was an R22 made by the Robinson Helicopter Company. You can pick one up, in a variety of colors, starting at a hundred and eighty thousand dollars. But remember:

"This machine is possibly a little underpowered for hunting (bear in mind that it was designed as a commuter and training aircraft, not as a backcountry meat-wagon)..." Heli Hunters in New Zealand.

Zeke didn't seem to notice the R22 until it took off and a wash of air and dirt blew over us, at which point he barked. The helicopter headed west. The ducks were long gone. All that was left to photograph were the unflappable pigeons atop Rivermill tower.