Naturally
Two crows swaggered up the drive. I suspect it was the same pair in the same place yesterday, but I couldn’t say for sure because I don’t have cawer ID. They stayed close together as if they were vel-crows.
The blue jays were not subtle in their comments about a great horned owl in the yard. When I looked in their direction, I could see the suggestion of a cat’s ears in a tree. The blue jays saw more than that. They saw danger from an enemy. The owl’s presence made the jays an offer they couldn’t refuse. They expressed their outrage with gusto. A great horned owl is under a lot of pressure. They nest in the winter and their name begins with “great.” That leads to a lot of expectations. I anthropomorphize to further my understanding.
Another day passed without a single sighting of the Bath Bigfoot. Rumors insist the Bigfoot family there is larger than the population of Bath before it became a ghost town. That would mean there are at least two Bath Bigfeet or Bigfoots. Seeing the avalanche of common redpolls in the yard more than makes up for the lack of any Bigfoot sightings.
There is an emptiness in winter. I miss things. The ticks weren’t bad last year. There have been years when I’ve been a tick magnet. I don’t miss them or the mosquitoes, but I do miss the “click-it” sounds of barn swallows. They kept the skies busy. Insectivorous barn swallows needed to catch an early flight out of town. They are never here in the winter, but I still miss them.
In 1902, Frank Chapman wrote one of the earliest guidebooks: “Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America.” Of the American goldfinch, he wrote: “Their flight is expressive of their joyous nature, and as they bound through the air they hum a gay ‘per-chic-o-ree.’ Their love song is delivered with an ecstasy and abandon which carries them off their feet, and they circle over the fields sowing the air with music.” The goldfinch, which my father called the wild canary, is the state bird of Iowa, Washington and New Jersey.
Q&A
“What are the advantages for a bird to be part of a flock?” The behavior offers many benefits, which can vary by species. Protection. A flock offers more eyes to spot predators and then mob, distract or confuse them. Foraging efficiency. More birds find the best food. Finding mates. Continuing education. Young birds learn from their elders. Flying in formations can conserve energy and increase communication effectiveness. Roosting can aid in identifying predators and offer shared body warmth.
“Will birds roost together in cavities in cold weather?” Many cavity-nesting birds roost in natural cavities, nest boxes, or roosting boxes. Bluebirds, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, screech owls and Carolina wrens roost in cavities and readily use nest boxes. Nuthatches and bluebirds find warmth by roosting together. Winter wrens are noted for that behavior.
“What wild birds lay the most eggs in a clutch?” Some birds lay a single egg; others lay clutches of eggs. Gray partridge up to 22 eggs, ring-necked pheasant 15, wild turkey 17 eggs, mallard 13, wood duck 16 and black-capped chickadee 13 eggs. These numbers don’t factor in any dump nests, which are the work of more than one female. Ostriches can lay up to 50 eggs per nest and I’ve read of a rhea having 80 eggs. You can bet rhea parents don’t remember all their offspring’s names.
“Is there a simple way to tell a house finch from a purple finch?” The male purple finch is purplish and looks as if he had been dipped in red wine or raspberry juice. This color bleeds onto the back and wings. A male house finch has localized color, reddish only on the head, breast, and lower back. The upper back and wings are a streaky brown. If the flanks from below the wings to the tail are streaked with brown, it's a male house finch. If the flanks are white, with a hint of pink, it's a male purple finch. A female house finch has a brown face, while a female purple finch has a strong facial pattern marked with a contrasting white eyebrow.
“What do pheasants eat in winter?” Pheasants find food by scratching through the snow to get to grain in farm fields. Moderate thaws allow south-facing slopes to expose food. They will eat grasses, leaves, roots, fruit and nuts.
Thanks for stopping by
“Is life not a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?”—Friedrich Nietzsche.
“Joys come from simple and natural things: mist over meadows, sunlight on leaves, the path of the moon over water.”—Sigurd F. Olson.
Do good.
©Al Batt 2022
An ostrich can lay up to 50 eggs in a clutch. If you think that is a soccer ball by her feet instead of an egg, treat yourself to something nice for being right. Photo by Al Batt
This hotel clock in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, showed me it was later than it has ever been—or maybe not.
Minnesota State defeated the U of Sioux Falls 86-66. Destinee Bursch had 19 points, Maddy Olson 17, Joey Batt (pictured making a pass as her coach Emilee Thiesse watches) scored 13 & added 7 assists, and Mikayla Nachazel tossed in 10 points.
How many times have I said, “What a cool book”? I’m saying it again, “What a cool book.” Can a person have too many field guides? I think not.
How many times have I said, “What a cool book”? I’m saying it again, “What a cool book.” Can a person have too many field guides? I think not.
I saw camels on hump day.
And the wall said.
This Mallard drake has recurved black central tail feathers, which give him the curly-tailed look he is seeking.
A couple of American White Pelicans are wintering in my neck of the woods in Minnesota. They will have stories to tell if they can make it until spring.
All About Birds Midwest field guide. Guides are also available for other regions.
All About Birds Midwest field guide. Guides are also available for other regions.
A brilliant book written by the eminent birder Bob Janssen, a great guy as well as a great birder, who has seen 416 species in the state and at least 150 species in each of the 87 counties. The Black-backed Woodpecker cover photo is by David Brislance.
A sample page from Birding in Minnesota.