A WHIRL OF STARLINGS

I was standing in front of the kitchen window looking out at our bird feeders when my son Alex came into the room.

“What are you looking at?” he asked as passed by me to go feed our beta fish Bubba.

“Remember how we both kept forgetting to fill the bird feeders this week?”

Alex picked up the small container of fish food and shook it in front of the tank. Bubba saw the container and swam out of his pineapple house and up to the top of the tank. “Of yeah, I'll fill them when I'm done here.”

“Don't worry, I filled them this morning.” I looked over at Alex as he dropped the pellets into the tank and closed the lid.

“Remember how I was complaining that without the feeders I wasn't see any birds at all?” I stepped out of his way as he headed to the sink to wash his hands.

Alex nodded his head yes as he turned on the water and reached over to get some liquid hand soap. “And I said the reason you weren't seeing any birds wasn't because of the empty feeders but because most of the birds had already flown south for the winter.” He took his soapy hands and began rinsing them off.

I pointed out the window. “I think I was the one who was right.”

Alex looked out at our back yard filled hundreds of starlings. Their black iridescent feathers catching the sunlight in such a way that they were really beautiful to watch as they swung from the feeders and covered the ground underneath.

“WOW!” Alex shook his head in disbelief. He turned off the water and reached for a paper towel. “I've never seem so many birds in one spot!”

“Starlings are pretty social birds, they like hanging out in big groups. But I've never seen this many at once.” I walked over to the back door. “Watch this.” I opened the door and the sound startled them, causing the hundreds of grackles to lift off at once swooping into the nearby trees. I stepped outside looking at the limbs of the trees filled with the birds. I looked back at Alex and smiled.

“Why'd you scare them like that?” Alex sounded annoyed as he dropped his paper towel in the garbage.

“Hey, it isn't the first time I've done it.” I closed the door and stepped over to the window next to him again. “Just wait.” I said.

We looked out the window and within seconds they were all back down on the ground eating again.

“See? They're all happy again.” I said.

Alex looked confused. “I still don't get it. Why did you want them to fly away, then come back?”

I looked over at Alex. “Because it fascinates me. Did you notice that even when they were startled they all flew as a group. Not one crashing into another.” I shook my head and sighed. “It just amazes me.” I looked back out the window. “Could you imagine that many people all in one place and something startling them?” I looked back over to Alex and pointed out the window. “It wouldn't be a beautifully orchestrated flight like we just saw, I can tell you that! It would be total mayhem! I can't even get down the aisle of the grocery store without someone bumping into my cart.”

Alex shook his head and laughed as he patted me on the shoulder. “You really do think of the weirdest things.”