Other than on rainy days, I commute to work by bicycle. Generally, I take the same route--one that avoids heavy traffic, or roads that don't have good bike lanes. The ride takes 20 minutes, and I often listen to the news or a podcast while I ride. Riding year round, I notice seasonal changes, like the sudden appearance of white/pink cherry blossoms on the dark cherry trees in late March, or the explosion of bright yellow leaves on the gingko trees in early fall. I've also noticed changes in the movements of birds throughout the year. For example, the last couple weeks, along one stretch of my ride, is an area where thousands of smallish black birds appear every evening. They fly in noisy knots, from one block to the next, and then back again, stopping to line up along the power lines at perfectly spaced intervals for a bit, and then erupting in flight again when a noisy motorcycle passes. Their noise and numbers are impressive, and the first few times I noticed them, I regretted not having my camera with me, so finally last Friday I took my camera with me to school. On the way home, I stopped my bike, took out my camera and, bicycle helmet still on my head, walked around photographing them. I got a few odd smiles (probably I looked a bit daft) but I never worry about that. I took photos for maybe fifteen minutes and then got back on my bike and went home. Here are a few photos from that day. I decided to go with black and white for these as it simplifies the visual data to shades of grey, emphasizing the shapes of the birds and the power lines, and the patterns they make together.