Naturally
A rafter of turkeys.
A friend saw 75 wild turkeys jogging across the road. Why is a flock of turkeys called a rafter? Perhaps it’s derived from the word “raft” in its meaning of a large or motley collection of people and other things. Maybe it’s because when early European settlers in America built houses and barns, turkeys perched in the rafters of the unfinished buildings. Or because when turkeys roost in trees, the trees resemble the rafters of a building. Another theory is that the word “rafter” came to imply “stitch together” in Medieval English and was used for groups of turkeys. I visited with a fellow who thought a flock of turkeys should be called a gobble. Male turkeys are called “gobblers” because of their famed call. It fits the mold—a group of geese is called a gaggle, but a gobble brings to mind scenes of gluttony from a Thanksgiving table.
Kind weather causes feeder birds to find their own food. This time away from feeders gave blue jays the opportunity to find a Cooper’s hawk in a spruce tree in my yard. At least 20 jays had a communal cow because of the presence of that accipiter. A collective noun for jays is a party, band or scold. Each name is appropriate for the noisy jays.
February is the breeding season for cottontail rabbits, skunks, raccoons, squirrels, great horned owls, bald eagles, coyotes and foxes.
Where I live, which is inside a house, we get little snow other than what I track in. The yard gets more snow. On average, we receive more snow from October to January than we do from February to April.
We all know the sound of a bird. It might be the quack of a mallard duck, the honk of a Canada goose, the haunting calls of a loon or the voice of a friend, a robin. Robins sing “cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up.”
I sat at a table with friends who are avid hunters. They talked of the sounds of waterfowl and other birds they hear, and they talked about the things they no longer hear. Silence speaks volumes. Meadowlark music is missed. They expressed concerns about our natural world. Nationally, 74% of Americans believe the country should "do whatever it takes to protect the environment," according to the Pew Research Center.
Q&A
“How can I tell a male starling from a female?” When the birds are in breeding plumage, the base of the lower mandible is bluish or blue-gray in males and pinkish in females.
Diane Wilson of Owatonna asked why swallows all face the same direction when perched on utility wires. That’s so they can share cute cat videos on their phones. Sorry about that. There are two reasons. When birds flock, they generally fly in the same direction. It would make sense that they face the same way before taking off. Birds are built to face into the wind. It’s easier to take off and land while facing the wind. Facing into the wind reduces wind resistance and limits ruffled feathers. That makes it easier to watch the cat videos.
“Do animals that turn white in winter still turn white when there is no snow?” Yes, weasels and snowshoe hares become white.
“Why do ostriches stick their head into the sand?” Because they can’t find a safety helmet that fits. It’s a popular myth. Ostriches don’t stick their heads in the sand. This myth has led to a common metaphor for someone avoiding their problems. The belief began with observations of ostriches nesting and being stalked by predators. Ostriches bury their eggs in the sand and use their beaks to turn them, which makes it look like they're sticking their heads in the sand. Ostriches lower their heads to blend in with their surroundings and make themselves less of a target when they encounter danger. This behavior made people think the big birds’ heads were buried in the sand.
“What’s the best thing to feed birds?” Black oil sunflower seeds will bring your feeders the greatest variety of the birds you want to see. Milo is an excellent seed to avoid in Minnesota. Most of it goes uneaten. I also feed suet, nyjer seed and a few peanuts. I need the birds more than they need me.
“How do gulls find my tractor in the field?” The curious, hungry and intelligent gulls fly high overhead and have many eyes to see a wide area. They’ve learned that a tractor uncovers food.
Thanks for stopping by
“Man masters nature not by force but by understanding. This is why science has succeeded where magic failed: because it has looked for no spell to cast over nature.”—Jacob Bronowski.
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them.”—Eeyore.
Do good.
©️Al Batt 2024
White-breasted nuthatches join foraging flocks of chickadees, titmice and downy woodpeckers to find food in winter. Nuthatches recognize the alarm calls of those other species and forage up, down and sideways on tree trunks and large limbs. Their name comes from a habit of jamming seeds and nuts into tree bark before using their sharp bills to “hatch” the hearts. Their common call is a loud, nasal “yank-yank.” Photo by Al Batt.
From Minnesota State: Join us for Cancer Awareness Day on Saturday, February 10 🎀 Stop by our Honor Wall at the Taylor Center entrance and add the name of your loved ones affected by cancer 🩷 #inhonor #staystrongfighton
———————————————————————————————————————————————————
I’m humbled by the honor of having my name bordered in pink and hanging on this wall of the Taylor Center. I appreciate the Minnesota State Women’s Basketball Team for doing this. Many more names found room on this wall later in the day. Go Mavericks.-AB
