the birds

today my students talked about horror movies--the images that are cemented in their heads, and they debated whether the images would be there regardless of cinematic suggestion. one girl argued that she wouldn't be afraid of birds if weren't for hitchcock, and another insisted that birds are fucking scary. after, I read an article about red-eyed vireos, American redstarts, warblers, common yellowthroats and rose-breasted grosbeaks; 400 birds in total killed by TV tower wires.