I heard them first ... that sound of maybe, oh, a million black birds all gathered in one spot and yelling at each other .
They came in one big huge black cloud of birds.
Then they landed in all the trees , especially the tall pines that line my property ..
From the fields behind , where nothing is growing yet, where seeds might still be left from last year , small kernels of dried corn perhaps.
The first time I saw them, I wept.
It was overwhelming to be standing in the back garden and hearing them then seeing them .. the sky black with birds and they were all landing in my trees !!
When they fly, it is a cloud of birds, a dark shape, that morphs into other shapes, swooping and dipping and then dispersing into many tree tops . And the sound ! loud.
Minette ran from window to window .. when I picked her up and stood in the garden room where we both got the full panoramic view with sound ... she fell silent .. her tail never stopped twitching .. her tiny little kitten mind is trying to process this .. she might need therapy.
For me, this is therapy. Nature comes along and drops a present in your lap.
Sure it looks like a dreary grey rainy day.
But then ... the starlings come for a visit.
The picture is scary and wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that Minette could share it.
Amazing! What a spectacle.
ReplyDeleteI love that. I have seen their murmurations, but until just recently, never thought about the sounds they make. I saw a video of it and heard their wings beating and calls. It really is sublime.
ReplyDeleteI saw one right after my husband died and I admit I stood in the back garden and wept that he was not there to see it with me. It was mind boggling to see .. coming from up the hill, over the corn fields and forest .. over my head .. they do like the trees that line my property so it was noisy and wonderful .
ReplyDeleteThat whooshing noise they make when flying in that huge cloud of birds ... miraculous ..
It is called a 'murmuration'. Just lovely!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is . This is the second one I have seen , here in this house. I never thought I would see another one, after having seen the first .. it is so wonderful and magical in its way.
ReplyDeleteAnna .. Minette was oblivious . She made some comment, under her breath, you know, something about you've seen one bird you've seen them all. .. a blasé kitten ..
ReplyDelete