The Miracle of a Feather

I found this small feather lying in the driveway.  I noticed it because it was so small and delicate and smooth that it stood out on the blacktop driveway.  The feather itself is only 2 1/2 inches long.  I picked it up and was astounded at the delicacy of it.  Something so small, so complex and so delicate.  I have seen feathers before but this one just made me stop and look carefully.

Here is a close-up of the tip of the feather.  Maybe I am imagining this, but I think I read that no two feathers on a bird are the same!  The left wing feathers, for instance will be different than the right wing feathers, and on the wing, for instance, as you move out from body to tip, each feather is slightly different!  I am sure that is true.  So the engineering of these is miraculous, they are so light and yet so strong.  It made my day to stop and examine and think about this marvelous thing.