Subject: [Tweeters] Re: Murmuration video and Bud A's response
Date: Nov 7 09:09:00 2011
From: Mike Munts - muntsm at gmail.com


An impressive flock. This is clearly a huge flock. The video is
apparently from Great Britain where starlings are a native species of
concern. According to the species account on BBC Nature
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/European_Starling) they have
declined 92% in the last couple of decades. To put this in perspective
all starlings in North America are descended from introductions from
England, yet they are probably more starlings in Idaho than in all of
Great Britain now. From what I have seen coming from the BOU?s
starling working group this may be the last mega flock left in Britain
which I understand is reported to winter on the Scottish coast which
is certainly consistent with the background to this video.

Mike Munts
Colville

On 11/6/11, Barbara Deihl <barbdeihl at comcast.net> wrote:
> The video of the murmuration of Starlings, looking much like the
> shorebird show we see occasionally at our wetlands was posted on this
> list on Friday by Doug Daily and brought on many feelings and words of
> admiration (which isn't often the case for the much despised
> Starlings!). I was so glad to see something put out to the public at
> large that would shine these much maligned birds in a favorable
> light. And then came Bud Anderson's reality check comment which put
> in perspective this seemingly unusual action of a "regular" bird. Of
> course, the Starlings weren't just doing ballet practice, but were
> doing a dance of life and death, very likely evading an attacking bird
> of prey (probably a Peregrine Falcon). Just like the shorebirds do.
> Bud's years of experience with falcons and their prey made it obvious
> to him that there was a practical reason for the event. This did
> bring me back down out of the clouds, but not crashing to the ground -
> it's STILL amazing, breathtaking and beautiful and I remain holding a
> new appreciation for the lowly Starling.
> Thanks to the folks who captured this lovely occurence on camera, to
> Doug for posting about it and to Bud as well, for reminding us that
> there is usually a good, reasonable survival-based reason for every
> thrilling and beautiful display we witness in nature. The knowledge
> only adds to our appreciation of the wild things. And a new term (at
> least for me) to boot - "evasion cloud" - a perfect descriptor! And
> thanks to all the birds for instilling a magical sense of wonder in
> many of us. What a gift!
>
> Barb Deihl
>
> North Matthews Beach - NE Seattle
>
> barbdeihl at comcast.net
>
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