Have you ever seen a flock of birds swirling and diving in unison? It’s mesmerizing, the way they flash in the sun in one direction, then go dark in another. They are like schooling fish, only a dark cloud, rather than a silver one.
I was coming home from a walk the other day when I saw such a cloud. several hundred starlings were flocking over a dairy barn just as the sun was setting.
I watched as the starlings swooped and swirled into the sunset. First one direction, then another.
They swirled together and spread apart, as they went over the barn a few would drop off and disappear behind it, to land in the yard no doubt. On the next pass they’d rejoin the cloud.
I watched for probably half an hour as it got darker, until finally on one last pass over the barn they, one by one, swirled down to the ground and out of sight.
Thanks for reading.
Stay well, be curious, learn things.
Kate
December, 2022
**********************
If you enjoyed this post perhaps you will enjoy these as well.
The Beauty of Winter
It’s easy to get discouraged this time of year as the days shrink and the cold shivers among the trees. It’s tempting to stay in by the fire. If you can resist the urge, winter can be a time of dramatic weather and exciting scenes, especially if you are near water. Ice can be magnificent,…
Flying Tutus
This is the time of year when you may notice small bits of fluff floating through the air. This is usually worth a second look. It may be milkweed, or aster seeds, but if you are lucky you might see what looks like a fly wearing a tutu. This tutu wearing insect is actually an…
Glaciers to Gardens
Recently I spent the day as part of the Vermont Master Naturalist Program learning about world history. I don’t mean wars and kings. I mean the movement of continents and glaciers. I mean history where time is measured in eons and eras. We were taught by Craig Heindel, a Vermont hydrogeologist as well as a…
Discover more from The Nature of Things
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The Nature of Things 