On Nov. 12, 2024, Salem photographer Brian Stone was dazzled by thousands of starlings performing a magical murmuration over a vineyard ten miles west of Salem, near the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. According to National Geographic, a murmuration is an aerial display where starlings move in synchronized, fluid patterns, creating shifting shapes in the sky. The aerial choreography is guided by each bird reacting to the movements of its nearest neighbors in flight, creating a domino effect of split-second decisions. The coordinated flight patterns are a phenomenon that protects birds from raptors and also helps them discover roosting locations. It often happens during sunset, about 20 minutes before the birds settle in for the night. Video courtesy of Brian Stone, brianstonephotography Reporting by Mark Graves/The Oregonian, mark_w_graves _graves #thisisoregon #birdmurmuration #oregon #murmuration #oregonmurmuration #birdingoregon #oregonbirding #oregonbirders #birder #...