Murrations of Starlings
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Aaron!
You might think your grackle/starling/squirrel problem isn't so bad after reading this article about Starlings in Rome. Bee sure the check out the multimedia show--the photos are intense! At one point, the starlings almost form what looks like an upside stork.
They should probably turn that into a tourist attraction...I'd pay to see a few hundred thousand starlings. Speaking of which, yesterday I gave a small presentation with Explore Minnesota at a conference for Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association. We were talking about heron and egret rookeries and some of the newer ones popping up around that state. One of the ladies was complaining about how sad it was that egrets nested on a little island on a lake in a city park. She felt they destroyed the park--egret and heron droppings at rookeries can kill of trees. I told her that I would much rather visit her town to look at several large white elegant birds and a tree covered island. She seemed skeptical, but after we gave our presentation about the value of birding, how much birders spend on a trip, she might be changing her mind.
It's interesting to me how birds can be perceived. I can totally see how a bunch of birds killing off vegetation can be perceive as "not good" but I would think that with prettier birds like egrets, you might think--"huh, would people like to come see that? Could we hold bird photography/digiscoping workshops with this?"
You might think your grackle/starling/squirrel problem isn't so bad after reading this article about Starlings in Rome. Bee sure the check out the multimedia show--the photos are intense! At one point, the starlings almost form what looks like an upside stork.
They should probably turn that into a tourist attraction...I'd pay to see a few hundred thousand starlings. Speaking of which, yesterday I gave a small presentation with Explore Minnesota at a conference for Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association. We were talking about heron and egret rookeries and some of the newer ones popping up around that state. One of the ladies was complaining about how sad it was that egrets nested on a little island on a lake in a city park. She felt they destroyed the park--egret and heron droppings at rookeries can kill of trees. I told her that I would much rather visit her town to look at several large white elegant birds and a tree covered island. She seemed skeptical, but after we gave our presentation about the value of birding, how much birders spend on a trip, she might be changing her mind.
It's interesting to me how birds can be perceived. I can totally see how a bunch of birds killing off vegetation can be perceive as "not good" but I would think that with prettier birds like egrets, you might think--"huh, would people like to come see that? Could we hold bird photography/digiscoping workshops with this?"
posted by birdchick at 8:04 AM
4 Comments:
"Bee sure the check out the multimedia show--the photos are intense!"
I think someone has today's bee adventures on her mind... :)
~other Sharon
I've asked you before if starlings flock together as they do over here. There is a major flock of starlings between us and Gretna Green in Scotland. We sometimes make a special evening trip to see the flock swoop around (not now though they're breeding) The locals sure don't like all the bird droppings on the cars and everything else.
A big mega-flock of starlings takes your breath away.
Huh. Thats interesting. When I was in Rome a few years ago I kept seeing bird poop covering EVERYTHING. Cars coated in it as if they had been sitting for years. Post boxes. Everything covered in guano.
...I had just thought no one cleaned anything.
I guess I was wrong.
I've seen footage of those flocks in Rome, and I think it's cool. Probably because I don't live in Rome.
I have to wonder about people complained about bird feces. They bitch and moan about pigeons pooping all over a city, but have you ever seen how much garbage people generate at one football game downtown?
Sometimes, people are big dumb animals.
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