The birds

As a child I would look up into the evening sky and see flocks of starlings swirling, swooping and dancing in intricate patterns. The starlings would fly in their hundreds and the patterns they made were perfect formations. The spectacle was breathtaking and would last for quite a while as dusk drew forever nearer. Suddenly, without warning all at the same time as if they had been summoned, they would swoop down and all go to roost.

In recent years the quantities of starlings has diminished. So much so that it has become a rare sight in my area to see more than a couple of birds at a time.

Yesterday, there was a loud commotion in the garden. Birds were calling and squawking. I went outside to see what all the fuss was about ... there were starlings perched on the roof tops, on aerials, clothes lines, fences, trees ... everywhere. It reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' film. They were making so much noise it was deafening ... then I realised what they were doing they were swooping down on the fruit trees. Their pointed beaks, chiselling out chunks of Bramley apples. The noise got louder and louder and the apple trees were being pulled and pulled. Suddenly, every single starling took off ... and within a few seconds none were visible ... and just for a moment everywhere went deathly quiet.

On investigation some of the apples had huge holes gouged out of their flesh. Thankfully they did leave some untouched for us!