Bird Brain and Murmuration

The book of the week is  The Wood by John Lewis-Stempel  Read by Greg Wise
 I am reflecting on this and life etc when I notice
Mr Wikipedia asserts that flocking behaviors are controlled by three simple rules:

    Separation - avoid crowding neighbors (short range repulsion)
    Alignment - steer towards average heading of neighbors
    Cohesion - steer towards average position of neighbors (long range attraction)

So there you go. However, I'm not sure I would be able to solve,  continuously, 3 similtaneous differential equations while flying 30 metres (variable) above the ground.

A nice touch in the description of blackbirds - squawking like enraged Ayatollahs.
(Is that not a touch perjorative... Ed?)
To a blackbird, possibly, but you are looking at a man who has enjoyed two filums in the last 24 hours, Dr Zhivago and Brooklyn and who's peace and equilibrium are not to be shifted!

Dead, dead and never called me muvver!

The season for dying. Always a touchy one. Still, a certainty for us all.
Some this season cause sadness and some pass by like clouds casting the shadow of mortality over us!
The traditional piper Liam Óg O'Flynn died at the age of 72  reported yesterday by RTE

He has appeared in this blog before in the guise of Planxty at a time of sadness

The wailing of the pipes is a representation of our grief but it can also be an outpouring of great  joy.
(Nuff said... Ed)
For once!

Breakfast

Best meal of the day, really, but as we progress in age (and wisdom and grace as well surely...Ed!)
I've told you before not Shirley!
On these cold and grey days a little later perhaps. However, that gives herself time to fill up the birds' feeders. I spotted this fella as I was munching on my mixture of seeds nuts and oats.

Marvellous things proton pumps, have I ever mentioned it before.

A Snow Dog's Life

World book day allegedly. Robert Macfarlane has an interesting thought -

Life is books - Life is a beech - haven't we been here before - La vida es un(a) haya

In the meantime here is a wee fella we found on our patch the other day.

(Looks like a dog to me ... Ed)!
Out of the mouths of Babes and Teenagers.