The Starling Flock has swarmed "from Bridgeport to Beverly" . . . like the song* says . . . . in search of perches for the South Side Irish Parade. These birds did not get the word - The Parade's Cancelled.
Me and my Police Detective neighbor just shoo-ed a couple of hundred off the cars, decks, bikes, baby-buggies and trees here on 108th Street. The place is lousy with winged warblers.
Which posed a head-scratcher - why they visiting in this time of Global Warming? Al?
I'll ask Mrs. Fields at the Department of Energy! Thus!
Question - Why do starlings flock in such large numbers in the
winter? Flocks never seem that big in the summer .
---------------------------------------
While some starlings do not migrate, many of them migrate from north to
south and back. This normally occurs in large numbers. When you see big
flocks of birds in colder weather, they are probably heading south (late
fall) or north(early spring). Once they reach a warm area they tend to
spread out into smaller groups. If the entire group stayed together it would
be difficult for them to find enough food, water, and shelter for each bird.
If small groups break off and spread out, then food, water, and shelter will
be available to each bird in the small flock. Flocks also help with safety,
as there are many eyes to be watching and with larger groups it provides
heat when they are all together. My guess is that the reason you see such
large flocks in winter compared to summer is that in the summer the smaller
groups have already dispersed.
Grace Fields
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/zoo00/zoo00763.htm
*
South Side Irish Song ( Click my post title for the sweet sounds of Terry McEldowney!)
Written by Tom Walsh, Tom Black and Terry McEldowney
We're the Windy City Irish-where the craic is always best
Where every day is Paddy's Day and everyone's a guest
If you're Irish on the North Side or Irish on the West
Welcome to the South Side come join our Irish Fest!
(Chorus) We're the South Side Irish as our fathers were before
We come from the Windy City and we're Irish to the core
From Bridgeport to Beverly from Midway to South Shore
We're the South Side Irish-Let's sing it out once more!
Our parents came from Mayo, from Cork and Donegal.
We come from Sabina, St. Kilian's and St. Gall
St. Leo, Visitation, Little Flower and the rest.
The South Side parishes are mighty-they're the best!
Chorus
We live on the South Side-Mayor Daley lived here too
The Greatest Irish Leader that Chicago ever knew
he was always proud of his South Side Irish roots!
So here's to Hizzonor to his memory we'll be true.
We sing the songs our fathers sang when they were growing up
Rebel songs of Erin's Isle in South Side Irish Pubs
and when it comes to baseball-we have two favorite clubs
The Go-Go White Sox... and whoever plays the Cubs!
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