Shade Tree Wisdom 3/17/09

It’s time for migrations. I remember as a youngster on that Wisconsin farm hearing flocks of geese fly over, honking. And when they were flying during daylight hours one could watch them change leaders every so often. That’s the secret of their long flights, changing leaders, flying in a V formation, thus raising the ‘lift’ of the flights by 70%.

Studies have also shown the weaker geese fly in the rear, if one is wounded, another lands with the wounded one and stays till, either it gets better or dies, only then does the other leave.

Wonderful, isn’t God’s creation?

But migrations reminded the local paper, the Houston Chronicle, to run an article on the abundance of birds along the Texas coast, nearly 300 miles of coast, with birding sights everywhere. World travelers migrate here to do their ‘birding’, yet birding remains a mystery to many Texans. All one needs to do is pay attention.

The largest and most accessible wild flock of whooping cranes in North America can be found here. In 1941 only 16 whooping cranes were left, but intensive and careful management has brought the flock up to 230, but it remains on the endangered list. It can be found in Aransas National wildlife refuge just north of Corpus Christi. The Whooping Crane is nearly 5 feet tall and has a wing span of 8 feet.

One interesting bird, the black skimmer, nests in Matagorda Bay National Park. Of interest is that it drags its lower bill through the water as it skims along, catching small fish as it goes.

Indeed,
“The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament showeth His handiwork.
Day into day uttereth speech,
And night unto night showeth knowledge.
There is no speech, nor language,
Where their voice is not heard”. Ps. 19,1-3

GPD 3/17/09