Naturally
I was in one of life’s quiet corners when a Cooper’s hawk flew low over my head. My resemblance to Big Bird nearly cost me.
Robins filled the table of contents for my yard. Caroline Kennedy had a pet canary when JFK was in the White House. When the bird died, it was buried in the White House yard. The canary was named Robin because Caroline liked robins.
Field bindweed or its larger relative, the hedge bindweed, are perennial vines with white or pink flowers and arrowhead-shaped leaves. I often see hedge bindweed climbing shrubs or fences, and in open fields. It’s similar to field bindweed, which is a weedier species with smaller flowers and leaves. They are closely related to the morning glory of the garden, which is an annual vine with white, pink, purple or blue flowers and heart-shaped leaves.
Peregrine falcons are one of the most widespread bird species in the world. They are found on all continents except Antarctica and they nest on cliffs with a large percentage of their nest sites being manmade structures, including electricity transmission towers, quarries, silos, skyscrapers, churches and bridges. Peregrine falcons are primarily bird hunters with starlings, pigeons, blackbirds, jays, shorebirds and waterfowl all being fair game for a hungry peregrine.
The air carried fireflies, insects with their check engine lights flashing. I watched an opossum moving through the darkening yard. Male opossums are jacks, the females are jills and the young are joeys.
Wawa
I was having my car filled with gas at a Wawa convenience store because you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey. “Wawa" is a Native American word for the Canada goose (more or less).
You are one with nature
You can’t help but be one with nature if you draw a single breath. Spending time in a natural environment has been linked to lower stress levels (reductions in tension and anxiety) and improved memory. Forest bathing is the process of soaking up the sights, smells and sounds of a natural setting to promote physiological and psychological health. People on nature walks tend to engage in less negative self-referential overthinking. The EPA says that Americans, on average, spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often much higher than typical outdoor concentrations. The idea of forest bathing is to awaken the five senses to everything that surrounds us. The costs of forest bathing are reimbursed by health insurance in Japan, China and Korea.
Q&A
“How many bird species are there in the world?” It depends on who you ask. Princeton University experts found there are an estimated 9,700 bird species in the world. According to BirdLife.org, there are nearly 11,000 species worldwide.
Ken Nelson of Clarks Grove asked how many broods barn swallows have each year? One or two.
“What preys on skunks?” According to research by Ohio State University biologist Stan Gehrt found coyotes, foxes, dogs, bobcats, mountain lions, badgers and great horned owls can all eat skunks but rarely do. Gehrt’s research shows that less than 5% of skunk mortality is caused by predators, not counting cars.
“What species of trees are MLB bats made from?” All MLB bats must be made from a single piece of wood and cannot be metal or composite bats. Maple is the most popular wood, with 75-80% of the market. Maple has great density and is hard and durable, but can shatter when it breaks. Ash, which used to be the most popular bat, is flexible and light, but not as durable as maple or birch. Birch bats are soft, flexible and more durable, but require a break-in period. You can’t hit a home run without a bat. Anther tree is involved when a player steps into the batter’s box. Pine tar is a tacky substance produced by the high-temperature carbonization of pine wood. It’s used in soaps, shampoos and treatments for certain skin conditions. Wooden bats can be slippery, so pine tar is added to improve the grip.
“Do mourning doves mate for life?” They are seasonally monogamous, with indications that some birds may re-pair in subsequent breeding seasons.
“What preys upon the monarch butterfly caterpillars found on milkweeds?” Tachinid flies, spined soldier bugs, spiders, and wasps. There are over 100 species of milkweeds in North America and monarchs use about 30 milkweed species as hosts for their larvae. Estimates are that 90% of the monarch butterflies that winter in Mexico have fed on one species, the common milkweed, as larvae.
Thanks for stopping by
“I hold one share in the corporate earth and am uneasy about the management.”—E.B. White.
“Education will not cure all the problems of society, but without it no cure for any problem is possible.”—Lyndon B. Johnson.
Do good.
©Al Batt 2022
Mourning doves (called “turtle doves” by some) drink without lifting their heads after each sip as most birds do. This photo of a napping dove is by Al Batt.
Becoming a proper robin.
The crows were trying to let people know that the sign didn’t apply to them.
A salute to the impressive epaulets of a Red-winged Blackbird.
I love the views from Minnesota’s rest areas. Great places to do a bit of birding.
I love the views from Minnesota’s rest areas. Great places to do a bit of birding.
Common Mullein seeds are consumed by American Goldfinches and colonists used the flannel-like leaves as “Quaker rouge” to raise a red blush on a rubbed face.
Common Mullein seeds are consumed by American Goldfinches and colonists used the flannel-like leaves as “Quaker rouge” to raise a red blush on a rubbed face.
While doing a program at Merrick State Park in Wisconsin, I noticed an Eastern Phoebe was using the screen (nest on top right).
Virginia Creeper has taken up residence in a bat house.
A Minnesota picnic—tater tot hotdish, SPAM, Green Giant green beans & corn, buttermilk biscuits, a turkey leg bigger than the brain of anyone trying to eat more than one, a thermos holding something to wash it all down and a Bundt cake. When in doubt, Bundt. All that’s missing is some kind of bug dope.
Babe the Blue Ox and Paul Bunyan were spotted at the Blue Earth County Library in Mankato, Minnesota. They are readers. Babe’s eyes are blue. Here’s a little known fact, Babe Ruth’s eyes were not blue.
