I've always hated the daily struggle of commuting and the feeling of wasting time since there's not much you can do while driving. I get in the car early in the morning when it's still dark and drive through the city. That's the worst part: the noise, the fumes and the drivers in a mad rush can get on anyone's nerves.
I turn on the radio and listen to the news to relieve the boredom, but it doesn't really help. I wish there were a good news channel so we could all start the day with a smile. I have a CD of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker in the car, but I keep it for what usually happens after I've crossed the city: thousands of starlings flying together, making beautiful shapes in the sky. That's when I play The Waltz of the Flowers.
Sometimes I'm lucky and the murmuration catches me stopped at a traffic light. This allows me to gaze at such a beautiful scene for a little while without the risk of hitting another car. I read somewhere that each starling follows the five birds around it. That's how the magic happens. Then an impatient car honks, and my mind is ripped out of this moment.
I like starlings, they are pretty and kind of interesting birds. Although I have heard that, in the US at least, they are an invasive species that was introduced from Europe by a Shakespeare fan who wanted to bring every bird Shakespeare mentioned in his plays to the US. I wonder if any of the other Shakespeare birds survived in the US.
Murmuration is such a beautiful word...
@hhh777 That's what we get for messing with nature. Spain is teeming with parrots. Can you believe it?
Flocks of starlings are so massive that they almost always feel like an invasion. If you happen to have a tree they love near your house, you can’t even hear yourself think. They’re incredibly loud. Thanks for sharing.
@schmamie I had no idea "murmuration" sounded poetic and was a beatiful word. In Spanish, the verb "murmurar" is just an ordinary word. Thanks for your comment.
@Coral "murmur" is pretty common, but "murmurmation", especially referring to swarming starlings, is rare
Thanks for explaining, @schmamie. We don't have a word for "murmuration". We'd just say "bandada de estorninos". Also, "estornino" is a funny word.
Even I, who doesn't speak Spanish, can tell that estornino is a funny word
I agree with Amie that murmuration is rarely heard in English (I think this was my first time seeing it!) But @Coral I have a more important question - have you tried listening to English audio courses (or other English content) during your commute? 😀
@elAmericanoTranquilo I listened to a Spanish radio show in English for years, but I hear so much English at home that I need a break when I drive. The same thing happens to me when I go for a walk. Actually, I turn on the radio to keep myself awake.😀