Flying birds

 

In the past couple of days, I have watched flying birds. It is striking how those that travel in flocks follow different rules when it comes to synchronizing their wings. Small birds seem to ignore synchronization, big birds often adhere to it.

Smaller birds may fly in a flock, but any matching of wings seems to be merely by chance. Incidentally, these are Bohemian Waxwings. Notice that there is no hint of a crest on the head, which is collapsed when flying (see A crest would be a drag).

These are Trumpeter Swans. Five of them are flying together and matching their wings.

 

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3 Responses to Flying birds

  1. Vicki says:

    Those 2018 photos are magnificent. Thanks for the link to look back.

  2. Trevor Goward says:

    Hi Alistair

    In those swans you’ve captured an aerial ballet – frozen in time maybe, yet also graceful and soothing in contemplation: a robust tonic to the sorrows and tensions of our time.

    As always, thanks so much for sharing

    Take good care

    Trevor

    • Alistair says:

      When swans fly along the lake, they fly far out over open water. Only from a boat can one occasionally get under them. I was unseen on a tree-covered peninsula and near the water, when I caught that unusual scene.

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