Names for collective groups of animals are thought to date from The Book of Saint Alban’s, published in 1486 by Dame Juliana Berners where many of the collective nouns for were chosen simply for the humorous images they conjure up, or the alliteration.

Murder of crows, Murmuration of starlings, Kettle of hawks, Incontinence of yellowlegs

I saw a large Gulp of Double-crested Cormorants winging over Lake Ontario today:

Murder of Crows

Dole of Doves

Badling of Ducks

Charm of Finches

Skein of Geese

Gaggle of Geese

Screech or Colony of Gulls

Sedge of Herons

Unkindness of Ravens

Host of Sparrows

Spring of Teal

Venue of Vultures

Descent of Woodpeckers

NATURE POETRY

Since Poets have told of sunset,
What is left for me to tell?
I can only say that I saw the day
Press crimson lips to the horizon gray,
And kiss the earth farewell.                   – Effie Lee Newsome (1885–1979)

Miles Hearn