News-Record.com

I am so glad N&R photographer Jerry Wolford took this photo that's on the front of the Local section of today's paper.

Here's what he says about them:

A flock of birds swirls over downtown Greensboro Tuesday. The swirling pattern appeared as they were darting back and forth at dusk preparing to roost in the bamboo trees along Blandwood Avenue. They were photographed with a 1/15 of a second exposure. This captures the hovering birds in the center of the flock as sharp images while the faster flying birds on the perimeter of the flock are seen only as blurs.

Not only is it a cool photo, but it helps alleviate my fears. I've seen this birds act crazy at dusk as I'm headed in and out of the Bryan YMCA.

Admittedly, I'm not exactly a country girl. When I first saw these birds I thought they were bats and nearly did not get out of my car. Then I realized they were birds. That made me breath a little easier.

And while they were mesmerizing to watch from the comfort of my car, it reminded me a little too much of that old Hitchcock movie.

On Monday the dang birds were at it again and swooping really low. As I hustled across the parking lot, I thought about that movie and I kept watch on the birds flocking to the trees.

"You need to get a grip," I thought to myself. "They are just birds."

But then I saw others standing and watching the birds. Maybe I wasn't being weird about it. And then a teenage voice spoke up with my vindication.

"What's up with the freakin' birds?" he shouted.