ADJUSTING MY SCHEDULE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE I AM SERVING

The Great Horned Owl (Bubo Virginianus) can range in size from eighteen to twenty-five inches. The female is slightly larger than the male. It is sometimes called “the tiger of the air” and is considered to be the most powerful North American owl. The great horned owl demonstrates loyalty by adjusting its schedule around their young. They will nest in the dead of winter so that they can provide more food for their young.

Owls need to see at night, as well as, during the day, because in the winter months when they are feeding their young there are fewer hours of daylight and most of their prey is active at night. They have more rod cells in their retina than most birds which helps them to use the light around them to see in the dark. They also have binocular vision where fields of vision from each eye overlap to give it a better ability to judge distances. They have a third eyelid which is used to keep the eye clean and moist to prevent damage to their eyes.

This owl’s real ears are not where the tufts of feathers are on top of their head. Their ears are positioned in different locations on either side of its head. This gives the owl the ability to pinpoint the location of the sound based on the time interval between the noises reaching each ear. They have four pairs of sharp claws which act like a set of ice picks on their prey. The claws are so sharp that they quickly sink in even the toughest of flesh. This deep grip ensures that the owl will safely get their prey home. The owl’s feet also have non-skid pads which help maintain its grip. The great horned owl can fly almost silently, because of their feather structure. As air passes over the feathers the sound is broken up and reduced to almost nothing. They need to be able to fly silently so that they can satisfy the enormous appetite of their young. Their “silent wings” gives them an advantage that allows them to approach and surprise the prey.

During the nesting period their diet changes. The adults are tireless in their search for food. They only eat what the owlets cannot so that the young are getting the nourishment they need. The mouth structure of the owl actually extends from ear to ear. The beak can be used to tear a large catch in two, but most of the time it will stuff the entire catch into its mouth at once. Since the owl does not have teeth, it relies on its powerful gastric juices to break down the meat into liquid.

STANDING WITH THOSE I AM SERVING IN THEIR TIME OF NEED

The Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) has a wingspan  up to seventy-six inches and is commonly seen flying in its V-formation in the spring and fall. It is the only goose with a white “chinstrap”. When a male goose is attracted to a partner, he needs to be ready to battle for her. If two geese make their intentions known, they will engage in a contest of strength. The winner might not be chosen by the female as her mate. The male will show special attention to her until she accepts him or rejects him. Once the female has accepted a partner any intruding goose will be chased away. The geese will form a lifelong partnership which can help explain their strong bond of loyalty.

When each egg arrives the female plucks out down feathers from her breast and uses them to insulate the egg. As she continues to remove the feathers a bare spot will appear and is called the “incubation patch”. The feathers help to maintain the temperature necessary for hatching. A female goose will continue to sit on infertile eggs for up to five months past the time needed for the egg to hatch. If eggs are destroyed early enough in the nesting season a new “clutch” can be laid. Nesting sites are generally built in secluded places such as: islands or the top of beaver or muskrat dwellings. Choosing places that are inaccessible helps the geese protect their young from predators. Several years ago, there was a late winter storm in Alaska that buried a field of nesting sites, after the snow melted it was found out that the geese suffocated rather than leave their eggs.

The day after the goslings hatch they enter the water for the first time. They are surrounded by potential danger from snapping turtles, bullfrogs, and large fish. The female will signal the male to clear the water by beating the water with his wings and making loud squawking noises which scare away any threats. While adult geese have few predators, they are still on the lookout for danger. The raccoon and fox are their major fear, while a crow or raven requires constant vigilance as well. If a goose is shot down by a hunter, its mate will circle back to help. If one is wounded it will remain until they are healed. And if the partner cannot be found the other will often stay behind to look for it, sometimes enduring winter hardships in the area to continue searching.

KNOWING AND FOLLOWING THE WISHES OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ME

The Grizzly Bear (Ursus horribilis) is known for its protectiveness and great strength. It lives about twenty-five years and achieves a length of seven to eight feet and a weight from 500-800 pounds. During the summer the bear will turn over stones searching for grub worms which live beneath the forest covering. Bears find the sweet berries of the forest to be a delicacy. Another favorite of theirs is wild honey straight from the comb. Their tough hide makes most of their body impervious to the bee sting. The bear is also aware of what time of year the salmon swim upstream. The bear wades into the stream pins the fish against a surface and carries the fish to shore in its mouth. A bear does not eat right before going into hibernation, that way its stomach and intestines are clean and empty.

If a cub were separated from its mother in the wild its chances of survival would be greatly reduced. It would not be able to learn about preparing for winter, what things to avoid, and to fear its natural enemies. Cubs have to be trained in proper eating habits which the mother teaches them. The bear’s life depends upon its ability to eat the right kinds and amounts of food during each season of the year. If a bear hasn’t been prepared for hibernation, it will have to wander in search for food when there is none available. A cub’s independent spirit and inquisitive nose can get them into trouble. Therefore, the mother is in constant communication with her cubs. When a cub misbehaves the mother spanks them and sends them on ahead. Even though the mother is watchful, the cubs still manage to find trouble. They are often on the receiving end of the spray of a striped skunk. The inquisitive nature of the fearless cubs can sometimes have fatal consequences when the cub unknowingly tries to eat a porcupine. The barbed quills often cannot be removed by the bear and will burrow deeper into the flesh in the process. The mother bear teaches the cub a healthy sense of fear from the father bear, wolves and man. She will teach her young on how to react when danger approaches.

For hibernation they will dig there own den that is three feet wide, four feet high, and six to twelve feet long. They specifically burrow in the north slope of a hill, that way the entrance is covered with snow to block out the cold wind. The bear will take the time to cover the den floor with leaves and needles to make the ground more comfortable. Technically, the bear does not actually hibernate; it can be woken up and will be alert within minutes of being disturbed. Because the bear is inactive during the winter they lose little if any weight at all. During their winter nap, their claws which were worn away from months of digging have grown back. The cubs are born in the safety of the den and the bear wasted no energy searching for unavailable food during the winter months.