[Inspiration] Otherworldly Images Of The Phenomenon Known As A Murmuration

When I had first seen this video a few months ago, I was left in utter disbelief. Growing up on the east coast of the United States, I’d never seen anything like it. Every year in certain areas of Europe, thousands upon thousands of starlings gather in what is known as a murmuration; their movement resembling that of a school of fish swimming through the air. While this video is not the most technically amazing video you’ve ever seen, it’s the content, not the medium, that is important here. Check out the video and a jaw-dropping collection of photos inside.

For the most part, I’d forgotten about my European avian friends in the months following my first viewing of this video. But a recent flickr blog post reminded me of the phenomenon.  These images, created by various flickr users, are just as inspiring as the above video.  The only comparison that I can draw here is to that of the aurora borealis or australis, yet it seems as if we can reach out and touch the birds when it happens right above our heads. Check out the photos – and if you live in Europe, or anywhere that this awesome sight occurs, why aren’t you burning up your memory cards shooting this? It seems as if images of this are pretty rare, and I’d love to know – is it a very rare event, or is it just so common that people don’t pay much attention to it?