A Gulp of Cormorants: September 2022

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:

Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants

Murder of Crows

American Crows

Dole of Doves

Mourning Doves

Badling of Ducks

Mallards and a few Black Ducks

Charm of Finches

American Goldfinches

Skein of Geese

Canada Geese

Gaggle of Geese

Canada Geese (mostly juvenile)

Screech or Colony of Gulls

Ring-billed Gulls

Sedge of Herons

Great Blue Herons

Unkindness of Ravens

Common Ravens in Nipigon, Ontario

Host of Sparrows

House Sparrows

Spring of Teal

Green-winged Teals (l) and European Teal (r)

Venue of Vultures

Turkey Vultures

Descent of Woodpeckers

Downy 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

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