Monday, where I live in the Southern Tier, we had nice feathery skies.
At my work lunch (still working from home) we took a walk.
Suddenly, there were hundreds of birds, and I knew what was happening.
As I blogged about yesterday, I was witnessing a murmuration.
Those little dots are starlings. Starlings can form large flocks of over a thousand birds. Close to sundown, especially in November, they will all take off at once and create formations in the sky, beautiful to see. This is called a murmuration. The birds fly in formation, and will change directions instantly on an unheard command. How none of these birds crash into each other in those sudden directional challenges is still a mystery to scientists. The patterns are breathtaking and the performance can go on for several minutes.
This one didn't, but still...my mouth may have been hanging open.
But it wasn't time. It was September. Still, there was no mistaking what was happening. I stopped, and rummaged around in my phone, just in time to take a picture of the tail end of the murmuration.
The starlings perched in several trees, clustered and then flew away.
The performance was over, and I had to get back to work.
Joining with Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.
...beautiful, keep looking up.
ReplyDeleteGreetings and Salutations! I guess I have never seen a murmuration of Starlings before. Always something to learn. Glad you got that phone out and took the sight before it was over and then published it on SkyWatch. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI learned a new word today! An interesting and beautiful capture, and lovely skies.
ReplyDeleteI just love when the clouds swirl and dance in the sky, you captured it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteVery nice. The starlings …that was fortuitous
ReplyDeleteGreat sky photos!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
I love the performances nature gives us. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful:)pictures of the sky, its such a pleasure to watch the birds. so nice that you clicked these pictures its a skywatch for me too. Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteNever heard of that word till recently -- murmuration. Wonderful! Starlings are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThose are pretty skies. How nice to take lunch walks. You may never want to go back to the office!
ReplyDeleteI love your sky shots with what I call a sky wash, the thin clouds.
ReplyDeleteGreat clouds.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots.
ReplyDeleteNeat! Thanks for sharing your skies.
ReplyDeletebeautiful, and I learned a few things as well ;-)
ReplyDeleteUna gran masa de nubes se apoderan den cielo y los estorninos aparecen como por encanto, aportando una buena animación.
ReplyDeleteDon't you hate it when you put your phone away just as something interesting happens?
ReplyDelete