January 28, 2014

Murmuration

Isn’t that a great word? Roll it around in your mouth and say it out loud. Now do you know what a murmuration is? I am sure you’ve seen one at some point.

A murmuration is a collection of starlings, and it’s always starlings, who swoop and loop in the sky in perfect formation. image

Are they chasing something, or is something chasing them?image

Are they following the wind currents and shifts, or is there some inner sense that makes them move as one?image

Thousands, possibly millions of these birds move in perfect synchronization and syncopation. image

And scientists have no idea of how or why they do it. That’s a murmuration.

This video of two girls paddling on a river in Ireland gives you a great view of a murmuration. It almost doesn’t look real.

That’s what a murmuration is.

10 comments:

  1. Kudos. Thanks for sharing. Those young ladies have a winning video and a lifetime memory.

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    1. It must have been amazing that they were in the middle of that. It's almost like a ballet.

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  2. It is beautiful! I have never seen one of these here though - saw a few in Korea and the States.

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  3. did not know what they were called + thanks xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  4. I love the word, almost as much as the alliteration from the young son of a friend of mine. "Herd of birds!" said he.

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    1. an alliteration is for exampe--- a flock of flying finches flew fast from Farmingham. A herd of birds is clever from the mouth of a child however it is far from an awesome alliteration.

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  5. Incredible Meg!

    xoxo
    Karena
    2014 Artists Series

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  6. Wow. Just wow. Posted to my Facebook wall. Thank you for sharing!

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  7. Absolutely beautiful images. They are breathtaking.

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