A Murmeration of Starlings

I just love the names of groups of birds and animals.  Starlings are also called a constellation, a filth, a scourge or a vulgarity of starlings.  I chose "murmeration" for the title of this entry because that seemed to fit.

This week when the thermostat read nine degrees, the black birds congregated in selected spots across the snow dusted neighborhood.  Some trees contained several hundred, though I will admit that I found it hard to count them as they constantly changed their perches like this particular group who flew from roof to tree . . .

. . .then back again to the roof of the small storage building.

I was standing nearby and could therefore hear their "murmerings," glad that I wasn't underneath the tree, though if I were, I might have chosen one of those other names for this group.