From the ol' JSH mailbag:
Hello there! I was googling "weird bird vortex" and your blogspot popped up and while I didn't investigate all the archives, I did think maybe you would have heard something about it.
About twelve years ago I lived in Bowling Green, KY and I was walking toward the square and I espied what appeared to be hundreds of starlings swirling in a cyclone pattern over the parking lot of the community services building. I asked a friend about it and he said that it happens every year on a certain date and is something akin to the egg-standing-on-end phenomena.
Have you ever heard of this and if so could you give me your knowledge on the subject? Much appreciated.
Marie
Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything about the connection of starlings to the balanced egg phenomena, although it sounds fascinating! Any other readers know anything about this?
I do remember taking some pictures in Georgetown, KY last year of a huge murmuration of starlings, who were swirling for over an hour in a peculiar sort of frenzied cyclonic cloud, much in the same way as in this video but more consistently figure-8-shaped. Going back through the files now to retrieve them.
4 comments:
It is a popular misconception that one can balance a raw egg on its end on the Equinoxes:
http://www.badastronomy.com
/bad/misc/egg_spin.html#badegg
In fact, you can balance an egg on any day, given sufficient patience.
If starlings are murmurating in a pattern over a particular spot, I would hypothesize a geomagnetic anomaly there. Based on that premise, the particular day might be a planetary configuration which affects the local geomagnetism (like Edward Leedskalnin only working on Coral Castle at particular times). I believe many migratory creatures use ley lines and their nexii in their navigation, therefore might be drawn, or temporarily confused, by fluxes therein.
Anyone have record of the dates?
I find it particularly ironic that the commenter above provides a link to a site that is devoted to debunking nonsensical new age woo, and then postulates using that same woo.
Here is a real hypothesis that can be tested:
Thermal updrafts due to the black body effects of the parking lot.
Soliussymbiosus, one man's truth is another man's woo-th.
New Age belief systems have their place, and so does the Cult of Skeptical Rationalism. I genuflect at the altar of neither, but politely tip my hat to each as I pass by.
Isn't limestone supposed to be particularly attractive to "woo"? That would explain the geomagnetism. Thermal updrafts too. Much like dust devils...
Post a Comment