I'm told that before I moved here the B52's from up your way would fly low over this valley testing radar antena's built near here. The farmers were furious with the practice saying their cows would stop giving milk for days after each test flight.
What surprised me about this fly-over today was that, all the critters scattered as expected from such loud noise, except the most scitterish of all, the Starlings.
I went outside to see if I could spot the jet, but it was slightly overcast, so I watched the Starlings who were in a black walnut tree above me. Not one budged during the whole time the jet was roaring around over head and I was walking around under them. Before that, they would have flown off when I walk around where I was then.
My guess is they will bolt from the least little ground threats. Even when I'm just walking across my yard and they are way up in the top tall trees, but they are smart enough to know that to fly from threats from above will only attract attention, and that is deadly.
I saw similar behavior last week. They sat up in one of my trees knowing I was there, but with their backs to me and watched two Crows drive off a Red Tail Hawk. When the Hawk and Crows were out of sight, the whole flock bolted in the opposite direction which just about took them over my head. They had more fear of the Hawk than me.
Not only tough, but pretty smart too!
Paul.
