Slightly OT: Birds and such

[Guest guest]

The kids and I are reading Rascal by Sterling North. Story about a boy who has

a baby raccoon with him for one full year of his and the " rascal's " lives.

 

Just read a chapter about the whippoorwill. The boy's homestead is in

Wisconsin.

 

We also watched a documentary on the migration of birds. It's on cable right

now all this month in our area. The documentary spans four years of filming and

watching from Africa to Asia to Europe to North America. It also ties in with

our geography studies.

 

What I'd like to ask is this: the kids are now asking what migrating birds can

survive on in their travels. Not just plants in general but specifically.

 

So, I'd like to ask you all that if you have a moment could you tell us all what

type of vegetation you have native to you at the moment that is sustaining

wildlife, specifically birds, near you?

 

For us, we have blue jays, cardinals, opossum, skunk, fox, deer, nuthatches,

chickadees, sparrows of all manner, squirrels, downy woodpeckers, pilliated

woodpeckers, titmouse and yesterday a rufus footed towie (sp?) and today a pair

of juncos (sp?). The towie and juncos may just be passing through. Only time

will tell.

 

We have only evergreens that can provide shelter and our feeders would sustain

as they hold peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet, cracked corn, dried berries and

millet. We also provide fresh water. If we did not put these necessities out

then the animals would move on to where they could find them on their own -

hence we are making many trips to the plentiful walking trails around our area

(I am so thankful for those). The kids are bringing home many plants to try to

look up and see if they provide a necessity for the animals that we believe will

be staying through the winter.

 

As an example of what could help: the kids watched the Bar Headed Goose go from

upper China to middle of India. They compared that route (mostly land) to the

migration route of the Barnacle Goose going from western Europe to Greenland

(mostly a water route).

 

Ultimately I hope the kids learn what makes continents so unique and gain an

appreciation for why we import and export crops. After all isn't that a marker

of civilization: learning how to live in one place, no longer hunting and

gathering? Not that I agree that being civilized is all it's cracked up to be

but that is a lifetime lesson and would cause a serious digression from our

studies!! LOL

 

I know that this sounds like a huge lesson. Don't worry. It's all broken down

into lots of small pieces for them to learn from and I will tie it all together

for them.

 

I am going to learn something too. I know that EOs can vary based on where a

crop came from and the growing conditions unique to that area. However, how

many of us truly understand lands in far away places to still know wonderment

when they hold a bottle of EO and imagine it's origins?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Dale

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dale - we've got pretty much the same critters as you, but you left one out -

the dreaded ground hog. This one digs up barns, trees, waddles across the road

and causes accidents, and I hear they really love to eat plantain....which seems

to have taken over most of our lawn.

 

Not much vegetation has died off yet - vegetable gardens, of course, but trees

still have leaves, but they will become beautiful colors and fall off the trees

soon. The evergreens definitely stay the same year 'round.

 

hth,

Cindy (rural Hunterdon County, NJ, in case you're looking for specific locale)

Pittstown Soapworks

www.pittstownsoapworks.com

 

 

 

-------------- Original message from " Dale Bernucca " : --------------

 

So, I'd like to ask you all that if you have a moment could you tell us all what

type of vegetation you have native to you at the moment that is sustaining

wildlife, specifically birds, near you?

 

For us, we have blue jays, cardinals, opossum, skunk, fox, deer, nuthatches,

chickadees, sparrows of all manner, squirrels, downy woodpeckers, pilliated

woodpeckers, titmouse and yesterday a rufus footed towie (sp?) and today a pair

of juncos (sp?). The towie and juncos may just be passing through. Only time

will tell.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you Cindy it does help! You're right...odd...I haven't spotted any ground

hogs here.

 

Today we spotted five huge wild turkeys. They must have been toms they were so

huge. They were not in my yard. They were by the side of the road near a man

made pond in the next town. Immediately after we spotted the prolific Canada

geese. Then of course I remembered the couple of hawks that circle the

protected land behind my hubby's workplace.

 

The orchards are beautiful and the trees on the hills are truly like 'God put

his paintbrushes up on end in His jar' over here in CT.

 

I hope to hear from some of our folks on other continents too.

 

Dale

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wild turkeys - I left them off MY list! A bunch of them (not sure what a

grouping of turkeys is called) crossed the road in front of me earlier today!!!

 

Cindy

 

-

 

 

Today we spotted five huge wild turkeys. They must have been toms they were

so huge. They were not in my yard. They were by the side of the road near a

man made pond in the next town. Immediately after we spotted the prolific

Canada geese. Then of course I remembered the couple of hawks that circle the

protected land behind my hubby's workplace.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

A bunch of them (not sure what a grouping of turkeys is called)

 

rafter or raft.

re: collective nouns:

http://elmtree.members.beeb.net/htmldb/collectivenouns.htm

 

enjoy

Neysa

 

 

[Guest guest]

Happy Sunday morning

 

We live near Gunnison CO which is in the western and a bit south part of the

state. It is an amazing place to live with lots of interesting critters around.

Because we've only been here a few months I don't know much about the migration

so I emailed a friend at the local college and she will get back to me with lots

of info. In the mean time however, let me tell you what we've experienced.

 

We have seen 3 foxes in the back part of our property and the neighborer says he

has seen 5. One of them is always playing around in the pasture. He/she jumps

and catches mice or what ever and is a delight to watch. To me they pretty much

look alike I don't know if it is the same one. They are pretty big in size. We

also have skunks, Canada Geese, ducks of all sorts, deer, elk, brown and rainbow

trout, some kokanee(not spelled right) salmon and LOTS of bold and golden

eagles. Yesterday we were driving and saw 3 bold eagles " playing around in the

sky " was the most amazing sight. Then later we saw 2 sitting in trees. We have a

fish hatchery about 10 miles from here and the eagles hang out around the

hatchery!!. They will leave the area however as winter grows near. In the last

few weeks we have had an influx of magpies. There is also the traditional " cow

birds " around -- not sure if there is another name for them and saw a few robins

a few weeks back. I'm told there are coyotes around

too but haven't seen or heard any.

 

As I find out more I'll share the info. I think this is a great learning tool

for you and your children and I applaud you for doing this.

 

Rita

 

Dale Bernucca <dbernucca wrote:

The kids and I are reading Rascal by Sterling North. Story about a boy who has

a baby raccoon with him for one full year of his and the " rascal's " lives.

 

Just read a chapter about the whippoorwill. The boy's homestead is in

Wisconsin.

 

We also watched a documentary on the migration of birds. It's on cable right

now all this month in our area. The documentary spans four years of filming and

watching from Africa to Asia to Europe to North America. It also ties in with

our geography studies.

 

What I'd like to ask is this: the kids are now asking what migrating birds can

survive on in their travels. Not just plants in general but specifically.

 

So, I'd like to ask you all that if you have a moment could you tell us all what

type of vegetation you have native to you at the moment that is sustaining

wildlife, specifically birds, near you?

 

For us, we have blue jays, cardinals, opossum, skunk, fox, deer, nuthatches,

chickadees, sparrows of all manner, squirrels, downy woodpeckers, pilliated

woodpeckers, titmouse and yesterday a rufus footed towie (sp?) and today a pair

of juncos (sp?). The towie and juncos may just be passing through. Only time

will tell.

 

We have only evergreens that can provide shelter and our feeders would sustain

as they hold peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet, cracked corn, dried berries and

millet. We also provide fresh water. If we did not put these necessities out

then the animals would move on to where they could find them on their own -

hence we are making many trips to the plentiful walking trails around our area

(I am so thankful for those). The kids are bringing home many plants to try to

look up and see if they provide a necessity for the animals that we believe will

be staying through the winter.

 

As an example of what could help: the kids watched the Bar Headed Goose go from

upper China to middle of India. They compared that route (mostly land) to the

migration route of the Barnacle Goose going from western Europe to Greenland

(mostly a water route).

 

Ultimately I hope the kids learn what makes continents so unique and gain an

appreciation for why we import and export crops. After all isn't that a marker

of civilization: learning how to live in one place, no longer hunting and

gathering? Not that I agree that being civilized is all it's cracked up to be

but that is a lifetime lesson and would cause a serious digression from our

studies!! LOL

 

I know that this sounds like a huge lesson. Don't worry. It's all broken down

into lots of small pieces for them to learn from and I will tie it all together

for them.

 

I am going to learn something too. I know that EOs can vary based on where a

crop came from and the growing conditions unique to that area. However, how

many of us truly understand lands in far away places to still know wonderment

when they hold a bottle of EO and imagine it's origins?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Dale

 

 

[Guest guest]

Oh, I would have said gaggle.. But I guess that is geese.

 

Karen J

 

 

Neysa Dormish [neysa]

Sunday, October 24, 2004 9:27 AM

 

Re: Slightly OT: Birds and such

 

A bunch of them (not sure what a grouping of turkeys is called)

 

rafter or raft.

re: collective nouns:

http://elmtree.members.beeb.net/htmldb/collectivenouns.htm

 

enjoy

Neysa

 

 

[Guest guest]

Oh, I would have said gaggle.. But I guess that is geese.

 

yeah I had to look it up. Seems every different animal has a different group

name!!

Neysa

 

 

rafter or raft.

re: collective nouns:

http://elmtree.members.beeb.net/htmldb/collectivenouns.htm

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Dale

I asked my friend at the college about the bird migration and this is all she

sent. I saw her last night and she said it would take volumes -- so she gave me

the short version. If you don't know where Gunnison CO is find Colorado Springs

and go west.

 

Our big migratory birds are the bald eagle that comes from the north following

the salmon runs.They stay here as long as there is open water in the winter.

Once the rivers freeze they leave. In the summers we have Red tail and Swainson

hawks that mainly feed on

rodents.Once the weather cools down they leave and are replaced by roughleg

hawks. Lately there has been a breeding pair of Ospreys that also fish. They

leave with the cooler weather following the open rivers and streams.

The Sandhill Cranes migrate from Bosque del Apache in New Mexico where they

grow a corn crop for them to winter off of to the Monte Vista sanctuary where

they also grow corn for them passing through Gunnison on their way to Alaska.For

warblers we have yellow rumps, yellows, orange crowns, and Wilsons that nest

here and follow the insect developments.

Hummingbirds: broadtail, black chin nest here, rufous migrate through in the

fall following flowers along with the calliope on their way to central America.

 

 

Dale Bernucca <dbernucca wrote:

The kids and I are reading Rascal by Sterling North. Story about a boy who has

a baby raccoon with him for one full year of his and the " rascal's " lives.

 

Just read a chapter about the whippoorwill. The boy's homestead is in

Wisconsin.

 

We also watched a documentary on the migration of birds. It's on cable right

now all this month in our area. The documentary spans four years of filming and

watching from Africa to Asia to Europe to North America. It also ties in with

our geography studies.

 

What I'd like to ask is this: the kids are now asking what migrating birds can

survive on in their travels. Not just plants in general but specifically.

 

So, I'd like to ask you all that if you have a moment could you tell us all what

type of vegetation you have native to you at the moment that is sustaining

wildlife, specifically birds, near you?

 

For us, we have blue jays, cardinals, opossum, skunk, fox, deer, nuthatches,

chickadees, sparrows of all manner, squirrels, downy woodpeckers, pilliated

woodpeckers, titmouse and yesterday a rufus footed towie (sp?) and today a pair

of juncos (sp?). The towie and juncos may just be passing through. Only time

will tell.

 

We have only evergreens that can provide shelter and our feeders would sustain

as they hold peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet, cracked corn, dried berries and

millet. We also provide fresh water. If we did not put these necessities out

then the animals would move on to where they could find them on their own -

hence we are making many trips to the plentiful walking trails around our area

(I am so thankful for those). The kids are bringing home many plants to try to

look up and see if they provide a necessity for the animals that we believe will

be staying through the winter.

 

As an example of what could help: the kids watched the Bar Headed Goose go from

upper China to middle of India. They compared that route (mostly land) to the

migration route of the Barnacle Goose going from western Europe to Greenland

(mostly a water route).

 

Ultimately I hope the kids learn what makes continents so unique and gain an

appreciation for why we import and export crops. After all isn't that a marker

of civilization: learning how to live in one place, no longer hunting and

gathering? Not that I agree that being civilized is all it's cracked up to be

but that is a lifetime lesson and would cause a serious digression from our

studies!! LOL

 

I know that this sounds like a huge lesson. Don't worry. It's all broken down

into lots of small pieces for them to learn from and I will tie it all together

for them.

 

I am going to learn something too. I know that EOs can vary based on where a

crop came from and the growing conditions unique to that area. However, how

many of us truly understand lands in far away places to still know wonderment

when they hold a bottle of EO and imagine it's origins?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Dale

 

 

[Guest guest]

Rita -

 

You've no idea how much it meant to me that you sent that along for my kids and

me to learn from. I can't wait to share this with them.

 

((((big hugs))))

 

Dale

 

 

[Guest guest]

I love the fact that you are doing this with your kids. They have a great mom

Rita

 

Dale Bernucca <dbernucca wrote:

Rita -

 

You've no idea how much it meant to me that you sent that along for my kids and

me to learn from. I can't wait to share this with them.

 

((((big hugs))))

 

Dale