Turkey vultures are often associated with death and transformation, but also knowledge, wisdom, and resourcefulness. I'm going with the latter. In the Cherokee culture, the turkey vulture is known as the Peace Eagle, because it kills nothing in order to live. When you see turkey vultures swarming around in a cluster in the early morning hours of early spring or fall, they are preparing to continue on their migration. Vultures seen in the evening hours have probably arrived in the area that day and are preparing to roost for the night.
This mockingbird has been entertaining us with his widely varied birdsong repertoire since the farm stand has been open. Northern mockingbirds typically sing from February through August, and again from September to early November. Some northern mockingbirds migrate south for the winter, especially if the weather is too extreme. However, many mockingbirds remain in the same location throughout the year.
Monarch butterflies embark on a marvelous migratory phenomenon. They travel between 1,200 and 2,800 miles or more from the northeast United States, and southeast Canada to the mountain forests in central Mexico, where they find the right climate conditions to hibernate from the beginning of November to mid-March. These beautiful creatures flit and rest on the zinnias that were planted in the spring.
On my last walk along the Potomac there were at least 30 crows roosting in a couple of trees. You see them with your ears long before you see them with your eyes.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been very noisy!
DeleteNature is so amazing. We have a mocking bird that hangs out around my neighborhood. I love hearing it.
ReplyDeleteI love our mockingbird. Nonstop, joyful singing.
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