2/16/2006: Migrating starlings at sunset

Undertoad · 02-16-2006, 04:08 PM

This WaPo image is a group of starlings, arriving in Algiers. The caption points out that millions of birds migrate from Europe to Africa, and so I wonder whether any of the birds in that shot were also in this one which was taken in Italy.

Beautiful image, and one that really stretches the limits of JPG image compression. This one is about 116k in size. The millions of dots against the colors in the sky are hard for JPG to reproduce correctly. If you have a digital camera that can take images in a "RAW" or "TIFF" mode, this is one time when you might want to use it to get the best possible shot... if you're ever shooting thousands of migrating starlings against a sunset.

Ubergeek · 02-16-2006, 04:12 PM

This truly is a beautiful image... amazing shot.

But....... having said that, am I the only one sick enough to look at this and think it bears an amazing resemblance to a couple of giant sperm swiming through the sky?

Hey... at least I admit I'm sick... what's YOUR excuse? ;-)

Elspode · 02-16-2006, 04:36 PM

I saw a very, very scaled-down version of this on the way home last night...only a couple of thousand as opposed to a few hundred thousand. It did, however, cause me to spontaneously work up a verbal outline (to the wife, who was driving) of a Neo-Con children's story about Stevie Starling, a rebellious little Starling who refused to fly with the flock, and froze to death all alone in the winter.

The real heroine of the story is Sally Starling, who went along with the gazillions of other birdies, and earned the respect of her peers by supporting traditional bird family values because she raised her young to follow the flock, and so on, and so on...

xoxoxoBruce · 02-16-2006, 05:51 PM

I don't know which of the two posts is sicker.

AureliusVin · 02-16-2006, 07:58 PM

It makes me feel good that there still are that many starlings on the planet. In San Fran they have taken similar pics, except the starlings are smog

daveyhavokheart · 02-16-2006, 11:31 PM

Ooh it's so pretty. I don't generally like birds, but I love this image. By the way, this is my first post. I've viewed every single IotD, but this is the first I've replied to.

Happy Monkey · 02-17-2006, 12:24 AM

Welcome, but that's really not a good color. Try something darker.

Pie · 02-17-2006, 08:09 AM

Which one of those is carrying H5N1?

Elspode · 02-17-2006, 08:40 AM

I don't know, but they could carry it on a bit of string, tucked beneath the dorsal guiding feather...

dar512 · 02-17-2006, 10:20 AM

Would those be African or European....

Never mind. I was thinking swallows.

barefoot serpent · 02-17-2006, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

I was thinking swallows.

*cough*

wolf · 02-18-2006, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Welcome, but that's really not a good color. Try something darker.

Like default black. That's one of our personal favorites.

We are NOT a colored post board. Yes, we discriminate based on color. We already have one token color poster, and she seems to have gotten over it.

The lack of avatars and long, complicated, animated picture bearing signatures should have been your first clue.

If you understand and accept this, welcome.

If not, don't let the virtual door hit on your ass on the way out.

dar512 · 02-18-2006, 07:49 AM

'Cause we're all about the words, baby.

Undertoad · 02-18-2006, 08:06 AM

I was thinking about the avatar question before the bandwidth problems, but you know this place does use a ton of bandwidth, it turns out, and every little bit will help, I think.

An single avatar - ONE of them - can use as much bandwidth as the words in an entire page.

Elspode · 02-18-2006, 08:17 AM

The photo content alone would give most sysops a headache.

02-16-2006, 04:08 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	2/16/2006: Migrating starlings at sunset This WaPo image is a group of starlings, arriving in Algiers. The caption points out that millions of birds migrate from Europe to Africa, and so I wonder whether any of the birds in that shot were also in this one which was taken in Italy. Beautiful image, and one that really stretches the limits of JPG image compression. This one is about 116k in size. The millions of dots against the colors in the sky are hard for JPG to reproduce correctly. If you have a digital camera that can take images in a "RAW" or "TIFF" mode, this is one time when you might want to use it to get the best possible shot... if you're ever shooting thousands of migrating starlings against a sunset.

02-16-2006, 04:12 PM	#2
Ubergeek Simulated Simulacrum Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 39	This truly is a beautiful image... amazing shot. But....... having said that, am I the only one sick enough to look at this and think it bears an amazing resemblance to a couple of giant sperm swiming through the sky? Hey... at least I admit I'm sick... what's YOUR excuse? ;-) __________________ Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't tell where it keeps its brain. Arthur Weasley

02-16-2006, 04:36 PM	#3
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I saw a very, very scaled-down version of this on the way home last night...only a couple of thousand as opposed to a few hundred thousand. It did, however, cause me to spontaneously work up a verbal outline (to the wife, who was driving) of a Neo-Con children's story about Stevie Starling, a rebellious little Starling who refused to fly with the flock, and froze to death all alone in the winter. The real heroine of the story is Sally Starling, who went along with the gazillions of other birdies, and earned the respect of her peers by supporting traditional bird family values because she raised her young to follow the flock, and so on, and so on... __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

02-16-2006, 05:51 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I don't know which of the two posts is sicker. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

02-17-2006, 12:24 AM	#7
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Welcome, but that's really not a good color. Try something darker. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

02-16-2006, 07:58 PM	#5
AureliusVin Expectorant Inspector Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 31	It makes me feel good that there still are that many starlings on the planet. In San Fran they have taken similar pics, except the starlings are smog

02-16-2006, 11:31 PM	#6
daveyhavokheart Kinda New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1	Ooh it's so pretty. I don't generally like birds, but I love this image. By the way, this is my first post. I've viewed every single IotD, but this is the first I've replied to.

02-17-2006, 08:09 AM	#8
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Which one of those is carrying H5N1? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

02-17-2006, 08:40 AM	#9
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I don't know, but they could carry it on a bit of string, tucked beneath the dorsal guiding feather... __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

02-17-2006, 10:20 AM	#10
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Would those be African or European.... Never mind. I was thinking swallows. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

02-18-2006, 07:49 AM	#13
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	'Cause we're all about the words, baby. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

02-18-2006, 08:06 AM	#14
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I was thinking about the avatar question before the bandwidth problems, but you know this place does use a ton of bandwidth, it turns out, and every little bit will help, I think. An single avatar - ONE of them - can use as much bandwidth as the words in an entire page.

02-18-2006, 08:17 AM	#15
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	The photo content alone would give most sysops a headache. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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