SPECTACLE FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR

This was sent to me by my friend in Grand Prairie, Luisa Lee.  Luisa is Chinese, was raised in the Dominican Republic and was the coordinator for a Spanish Parish Mission we Redemptorists gave in that area a few years ago. Thank you, Luisa

A EUROPEAN STARLING "MURMURATION"

When I began this blog..THE HUDSON RIVER BIRDER I had just finished 10 years in the South Bronx.  During those years my Thursdays were largely spent 1st walking from 149th St. in the South Bronx,  Immaculate Conception Parish where I lived, to 110th St and Central Park West.  There, at what is called the Harlem Meere, I entered the North Woods of Central Park to head down through the Park, heading toward Belvedere Castle and Turtle Pond where a lot of birders "hang out". My first encounter with European Starlings were precisely that!! That had been brought to Central Park, precisely to the area around Belvedere Castle where the Delacourte Theatre and the Shakespearian Garden are located.  "Someone" (I never found out who) thought that the Shakespearian Garden should have all the various birds that Shakespeare mentions in this play.  (The Starling was one of those birds that we did not "have yet" in the States).  So "that" or "those" "someone" brought us the European Starlings.  Now, as they are such hearty birds, they are one of the most numerous species in the USA.  Anyway you don't have to go out of your way to see a European Starling nor a House Sparrow in the USA...
Anyway, as you'll see in this film the "murmuration" is a humungous flock or flocks of Starlings deciding just where it is best to roost "or "rest" for the night. I's quite impressive. They seem to be a swarm of locusts.
ENJOY

THE OTHER LETTER

I got this from my friend Tom Reynolds who sends me lots of things to read. He got it from Mr. Ed Mechmann who works for the Archdiocese of New York. It is a truly wonderful commercial for done by IKEA that touches strongly on strongly on FAMILY VALUES. It was done in Spain.  (I can tell by the accent in Spanish). But the subtitles are quite clear.   Enjoy