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A TOUCH OF NATURE
December 15, 2001 Issue

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DONNA'S COMMENTS
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In our premier issue, I had a blank space on the number of subscribers. I wanted to check just as the issue was mailed, and forgot. So, for those of you who are wondering how fast we're growing, we are now at 401 subscribers. Thanks for sharing with your friends who love nature! Keep it up!

There's a lot of excitement in our hearts that the Senate turned down the bill 94-1 on drilling in the Arctic. It's not over yet, but it would be so sad to lose habitat and wildlife in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It would be such a short-term solution at best and the oil wouldn't even be available for 10 years. Conservation of gas and oil would be the wise and prudent thing to do (in my not so humble opinion, as my friend, Robin, says). I think it's about time that Americans get a new view of "use" in our world.

Hope you are all having a peaceful and joyful holiday season. We're heading over to Back Bay Wildlife Refuge and Dismal Swamp for the holidays since we visited family over Thanksgiving. We'll be celebrating with the critters and what better place to be for Jesus' birthday than with His Creation.

Happy Holidays!
Donna Watkins
Editor

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CRITTER FACTS
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CANADA GOOSE

There are only two ways to tell a male from the female since their markings are identical. First, the male is larger. Second, the male makes a two syllable "ahonk" call, while the female makes a shorter, higher-pitched "hink" call like the barking of a small dog.

Movements of the neck, wings and body have distinct meanings used as greetings, for courting, and in defense of its territory from other males. If you intend to feed Canadian Geese, use cracked corn or a waterfowl mix from the feed store. Such commonly used foods as crackers, bread and popcorn do more harm than good.

Source: Wildlife Rescue League, Falls Church, VA

OPOSSUMS

The shy, transient opossum poses little threat to home or property. Opossums do not dig holes, are extremely resistant to disease, and rarely stay in the same area for more than 2-3 days. Their highly omnivorous (eating plant and animal) diet helps keep urban areas clean. They eat roadkill, garbage, mice, rats, cockroaches, and insects, but prefer overripe, fallen fruit and garden slugs and snails.

Opossums are not a threat to household pets except for very tiny newborns, which should not be left unattended. They will raid open chicken coops for eggs and newly-hatched chicks. When threatened, a opossum usually will freeze with mouth open to display his 50 teeth (more than any other N. Amer. land mammal). If that doesn't work, he may roll over and appear dead, but actually becomes unconscious, which is an effective defense since many predators will not eat dead animals.

Opossums are often misidentified as "big rats" due to their hairless long tail and pointed pink nose. This is North America's only marsupial and a nursing mother carries her young inside a pouch like a kangaroo or koala. Opossums have no placenta; they are born after only 13 days gestation and enter the world as honeybee-size embryos with developed paws that allow them to crawl to their mother's pouch where they attach to a nipple. After several months, they leave the pouch and crawl to the mother's back to remain for a few more weeks.

Source: SPCA of Monterey, CA

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CHARACTER QUALITIES IN NATURE
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LOYALTY: Canada Goose

At the age of 2-3 years, the Canada Goose selects a mate and stays with that mate for life. If something happens to the mate, they have a mourning period, then usually find another mate when mating season occurs. They are so devoted to each other that if one partner in the pair is unable to migrate, the mate returns year after year to join it during mating season.

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"GREEN" INFO- Making It a Way of Life!
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HELP PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGE
Run your dishwasher only with a full load.
Use the energy-saving setting to dry the dishes.
Don't use heat when drying.

Results?  Carbon dioxide reduction: 200 pounds a year.

Find more simple ways that you can help reduce global warming.

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REDUCE, REUSE, THEN RECYCLE
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WASTE LESS, SAVE MORE
When you use less and reuse more, you're helping the environment both "upstream" (when products are manufactured) and "downstream" (when they're disposed of). - DEAD LINK REMOVED - Learn more.

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CREATION IN THE BIBLE
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Job 37:14-16 ASV
Hearken unto this, O Job: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know how God layeth [his charge] upon them, And causeth the lightning of his cloud to shine? Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, The wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?

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MUSINGS: POETRY & PROSE
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It's a privilege to live any part of one's life in proximity of nature. It is a privilege, apparently, even to know nature is out there at all. In the summer of 1996, human life on Earth made a subtle, uncelebrated passage from mostly rural to mostly urban. More than half of all humans now live in cities. The natural habitat of our species, then, officially, is steel, pavement, streetlights, architecture and enterprise - the hominid agenda.

With all due respect for the wondrous ways people amuse themselves and one another on paved surfaces, I find this exodus from the land makes me unspeakably sad. I think of the children who will never know intuitively, that a flower is a plant's way of making love, or what silence sounds like or that trees breathe out what we breath in. ---- Barbara Kingsolver

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GOOD NEWS
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A PEREGRINE FALCON'S STORY

Patient #01-2462, at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, is part of the FalconTrak project. The project follows peregrine falcons from birth to freedom, then tracks their movement and migration through satellite technology. For this falcon, it also saved her life.

This falcon was hatched on the Benjamin Harrison Bridge near Hopewell, VA. When she was 32 days old, she was moved to the roof of a building in Richmond, VA where staff constructed special nesting boxes called hack boxes. Unfortunately, the bird and her siblings were harassed by older peregrines, and after only two weeks in the city, she was transported to Shenandoah National Park.

Once fledged, the bird was fitted with a satellite transmitter. She was then tracked for over two weeks flying from Shenandoah Park to Washington DC. She headed back towards the Bay, stopped at the mouth of the Potomac, then over to West Point, VA. Her journey continued throughout the area until her signal mysteriously disappeared. She was found injured near Colonial Heights, VA standing by the road in a rainstorm. She was transported to the Wildlife Center of Virginia where X-rays revealed a fractured bone in her left wing. Veterinarians also found a severe soft tissue injury on the wing that required extensive medical care.

After several months at the Wildlife Center, the peregrine falcon is doing very well. Veterinarians report that the fracture has been repaired and the wound has nearly healed. They are optimistic and hope she will be able to fly back to freedom - at peregrine speed - 200 m.p.h.

More information about the - DEAD LINK REMOVED - FalconTrak Project

More information about The Wildlife Center of VA

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DISCLAIMER:
The content, suggestions, and web links in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and not necessarily endorsed by "The Herbs Place.com" This is a personal publication by Donna Watkins. The ideas and information expressed in it have not been approved or authorized by anyone either explicitly or impliedly. In no event shall Donna Watkins or "The Herbs Place.com" be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of this information or its publication, including any action for infringement of copyright or defamation.