North Platte

It was one of those beautiful fall days when we’ve transitioned into full-on Autumn and the leaves have changed, harvests are underway, and the afternoon light is golden with the sun lower in the sky. I was driving toward the mountains, and right around the interstate exits to North Platte, Nebraska, I saw a massive swarm of birds in the sky. I had seen those before, but never one this large. I took the closest exit and parked in a nearby lot and just watched for a while. It was mesmerizing, peaceful, beautiful, and awe-inspiring.

How can thousands of birds be flying in sync like a school of fish without crashing into each other? The answer speaks to so much that we don’t know about the natural world and ourselves and it fascinates me. I’m still inspired every time I see one of these formations, known as a murmuration.