Speed Bump by Dave Coverly for April 29, 2023

Truth: most members of flocks watch TWO of their near neighbors and move when they both do… and more or less in that direction.

Lemming larks.

And what are you waiting for?

Was it the food, the drinks, the music??!!

♫ The party’s over. ♫

Can’t wait for that first departure. Always acts like a nudge.Falling asleep in the chair is one I’ve used before.

As long as they don’t leave too much of a mess.

Well fine, just flock off then!

Birds of a feather flock together.

They just can’t wait because they gotta get back to tweeting…

It’s because there’s a cat behind you.

Eh, they were all party poopers anyway.

“It’s OK. We were out of seed, anyway.”

The birds made a v-line for the door.

I can’t tell if this is a murmuration or a murder. I’m fairly certain it’s not an unkindness, a clattering, or a kettle.

Capistrano is calling.

We are visited by a few dozen small birds at a certain time and season. One of our trees must be dropping little seeds because the birds are pecking and hopping around. And then ONE bird quickly flies up into the tree and they ALL follow. They all come back down within a few seconds, and the pattern continues. There’s never a cat or any other danger present, but their survival instinct keeps them fleeing, all at once.

Birds of a feather leave together…

“You’re all individuals!!!, We’re all individuals!!!” – from ‘Life of Brian’ by Monty Python’s Flying Circus

we used to have starling flocks by the thousand, bird-clouds in the sky. roosting on power lines, waiting to see the wire snap and lose electric/phone. i don’t remember if i’ve even seen one bird in the last decade. bluejays are gone, no cardinals, no house finches. bird flu is decimating birds, so i’ve heard, and i believe it.

Back in my college days, my roommate and I threw a party at our place. A lot of great people talking, having a good time, great food, drinks aplenty, rocking music—it was a fabulous party. And at ten o’clock…it just DIED! Everybody left at about the same time, and within ten minutes we were alone. To this day I have never been able to figure out what happened.