Ohh, my tom-cat Nicademus says he'll come down and help you with your 'edible art' - he loves chipmunks!!!

Hmmm!! Arctic terns. Probably something to do to with the 'arctic' part, lol, but I have no idea!! Must go to work and think on this!!

Have a great day all - Nancy.

Hello all! It is Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer. Many Americans will be doing bbq and indulging in quantities of great food. I might do hamburgers with my Weber kettle grill, maybe...we shall see. There is a clue in my prattling.
Regards,
Lorna

Hmmm, Lorna, now I am trying to figure out your clue! I am not sure we are thinking along the same lines, but I will wait to see. If summer is your clue, that could be a good one. Otherwise, I am lost.

Nancy, would welcome Nicademus. I suspect he would not leave three foot deep holes when going after those critters like Annabelle does!

Cynthia

This makes me think of a certain sport.

Annette

Wow. I am so lost and it is my question! Ha.

Anyway, the hawk is not around today. At least not that I've seen, but it is too soon for him to be moving on-he usually stays a few weeks.

Yes, sad to see summer leave. Wouldn't it be nice to have a second home where it is still summer? I have lots of plants to put it this weekend. It is a little early, but I have a hard time saying no when things are on sale. I will be traveling to Maryland again this weekend (at least I hope I will) to check out the camellias that have recently arrived at my favorite nursery. I need some to hide the neighbor's new spite fence! Chuck just doesn't understand why I travel so far (about an hour drive), but they do have the best selection! Unfortunately, it will have to be tomorrow since the grandpuppy just arrived. John is up in Baltimore at some huge BMW thing (he took Chuck's M5 and will try to find someone who might want to buy it-fingers crossed) and Kelly has a party. Labor Day weekend here means people travelling!

Back soon. It is trying to rain a little, but not so bad that I can't dig some little holes.

Cynthia

I don't know this one at all, but I'm sifting for clues in your posts, Cynthia, and I think you are aiming us toward traveling. Maybe the tern has to fly really far for something, like mating or nesting. Just a guess.

TM

I'm thinking along the same lines TM.

Annette

Ooooh, Annette, maybe I do get your sport clue now.

TM, you are close, but don't sweat the details!

Cynthia

Eeeeee - not sure - maybe the furthest migration? I was thinking maybe it never stopped moving, else it froze, but of course, it is in the arctic in the summer. Too many ideas swimming in my head!!!

Nancy.

The Arctic Tern migrates from the Arctic to Antarctica, that's one heck of a distance to travel. I don't know of another bird that travels that far.

Annette

As a birder I know the artic tern for its long migration that allows it to summer in both the Arctic and Antarctica.

I have no idea what sport to which Annette is referring.

LOL, pole vaulting.

Annette

Such a bunch of smarties!

**** for Annette (plus an extra for the clever clue! *), Bobbie (also an extra star for knowing they enjoy two summers by migrating from the north to south hemisphere! *), and Nancy.

*** for TM since he did know that it had something to do with a long flight.

Lorna, tell me if you deserve stars. I am not sure and couldn't get your clues! :)

Yes, the Arctic Tern migrates farther than any other known animal. Flying from pole to pole, it travels approximately 44,000 miles each year!

Terns live for about 20 years, although many live as long as 30 years. They are very social birds and live in colonies of about 50 birds. Their feet are webbed, but they don't spend time in the water; they avoid it, prefering to swoop down, but keep on flying once they skim the prey out of the water.

Here is one example of this bird's amazing long-distance flying abilities: an unfledged chick ringed on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK in the summer of 1982,arrived in Melbourne, Australia, in October 1982. That was a sea journey of over 22,000 km (14,000 mi) in only a few months from fledging!

The Arctic Tern almost never lands and spends more time in sunlight than dark due to its migration. It spends it summers at the poles, enjoying two summers every year, not unlike some people we know who head to warmer climes for a break from winter! ;)

Thanks for playing everyone.

Cynthia

omg Annette - too funny!!! Never would have guessed that one!!! And what the heck were you doing online at that hour??!!

Nancy.

Thanks for the stars, Cynthia. I totally missed the second summer clue - good one! And Annette - pole vaulting - ha ha!

If the Arctic Tern almost never lands, which now sounds familiar to me, do we know how or when it sleeps?

Interesting stuff!

TM

Nancy, what was I doing up at that hour? I've been a night owl most of my life. Oh course that little nap taken earlier might have had something to do with it.

Annette

Cyn, I thought the answer was webbed feet, because terns aren't considered swimmers as are the other birds which have webbed feet. No stars for me!
Regards,
Lorna

TM, apparently birds that migrate long distances can put half their brain to sleep (unihemispheric sleep) while the other half is awake and alert. How cool is that?!

Cynthia

Interesting!! So their body doesn't need the sleep, just their brain, half at a time. Pretty cool alright.

TM