"Winging It" - A large flock of Dunlin Sandpipers spectacularly takes flight all at once. These resilient birds migrate from Northern Mexico up to the Copper River Delta in Alaska, traveling 9,300 miles during Spring and Fall, including non-stop flights of 1,500 miles or more. This high-speed photograph at THE moment of lift captured a unique phenomenon that documents a scientifically important observation: The shot helps explain how such a dense flock of birds can all take flight without crashing into each other. If you look closely, you will see a Fibonacci spiral of the birds as they lift; The airflow and chain reaction cause a ripple effect on the birds that is visible via the white underwing which is exposed as they flap up. This shot may be the first to document this mathematical pattern of their movement, thanks in part to the exceptional rarity of having a tight cluster of so many birds. The cold winter and the lack of shoreline at high tide had caused this flock of thousands to huddle tightly for warmth on limited ground space. Helping to make the pattern visible is the contrast of colors on the brown/white wing.