There’s a fir tree in clear sight from my friend’s apartment window. So what, I hear you say? Well what’s interesting about this particular tree are the habits of its transient inhabitants. I’m talking birds. We’ve been watching for several weeks, now, usually in the early evening, but now we’re so intrigued, we watch in the mornings too. Two main types of birds fly and visit this tree: crows and starlings.
The birds land on the upper most branches, sometimes so numerous that the branches are weighed down, and we contemplate what would be the critical mass that would cause the tree to just plain fall down. Not reached that critical; mass yet. Some kamikaze flyers perch on the highest branch, apparently defying gravity and I wonder how on earth they stay there without being dislodged as there is virtually nothing on which to perch.
An important question occurred to me. What happens when there are hundreds of birds, spaced no each of the branches, on top of each other. I mean, how they stop being spatter from above when Mother Nature kicks in? I’ve noticed that there are gaps between the birds; maybe they arrange it so that the occupant below does not get zapped. Maybe there is some signal – Watch out below there, buddy! Oh sorry, too late!” Somehow I doubt if they’re that careful.
Anyway one other observation for you while I’m at it. The crows definitely get occupancy privileges ahead of the starlings. The fir tree may be packed to the rafters with starlings. Suddenly you notice them depart on masse on some obviously prearranged signal. Then one crow comes along and takes occupancy. Sure enough with a minute or two, other crows start circling around and landing, and within minutes it’s the veritable Piccadilly Circus. I wonder if they are reporting their activities for the day to each other.“I blasted at least two MG sports cars today. Got the owners pretty darn good”“Ah, that’s noting, another would chip in.” Bert Bent Wing and I played 'Dare' on Highway 66 when we located the remains of a Big Mac. Too good to pass up, though Bert got his feathers rearranged yet again.”
