Travels with Forty Roses: Auxerre Sights

Our first week in Auxerre has flown by, so most of the photos this week are of the town and surrounding area. The weather has been brilliant and we feel these past weeks in France have truly been our summer that we all missed in Canada.

There is one phenomenal sight that I have been unable to capture on my little camera phone. (I’m realizing now that I need a better camera.) The spectacle occurs every evening just before sunset and it is the most astonishing, interesting and amazing sight we have possibly ever seen. It’s called a murmuration of starlings. Now, I happened to know this because I’ve just finished reading the Steve Burrows Birder Mystery series. Check out this link and try Book #1 and you will be hooked too. Birder Mysteries by Steve Burrows. Steve comes from Ontario and knows a great deal about birds. A congregation of birds, of a singular type, have differing collective descriptors. In other words, there all not just a “flock of birds”. But you will learn a great deal more about this reading his series, which was recommended to me this summer by good friends Peter and Jenn. The display we see each night is literally stupendous. Masses of starlings swirl in the sky; small groups of birds’ merge with larger groups until, occasionally, there are incredibly large numbers swirling and surging over the town, backlit by the setting sun and highlighting the cathedral as they twirl among the towers and spires. It is breathtaking and humbling at the same time. What causes the birds to take these flights now? Why do they do this? It is mostly a mystery of nature although you will find many theories on the internet. What it is to me is a glorious expression of nature’s beauty. Yes, one can say starlings are pesky birds and damage crops. However, to see this sight is to delete all negativity and simply succumb to the fascination of the spinning flocks shape-shifting in the sky. It is a joyous sight to amaze.

Versus attempting to take a very poor photo, as I have no appropriate lens, just have a look on YouTube for a video by photographers who know their business. It’s worthwhile.

So, know that I’ve recommended books to read, links to check and videos to find it’s enough for you this week.