[nnasnet] Solving an Avian Mystery
- From: Tom Teeples <tomteeples@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: NNASHotline <nnasnet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 17:10:19 -0400
I want us all to pool our brain power to solve a mystery that has had me
puzzled for some time. When I drive East across the Rappahannock River on
Route 3, heading toward Topping, VA, I almost always see cormorants on the
power lines. The power lines are parallel to the bridge and relatively
close. I realize it can be dangerous to be birding while driving,
but.......Anyway, the statistician in me would expect to see the cormorants
randomly spaced on the wires along the 2-mile span. However, the naturalist
in me ALWAYS sees the cormorant colony perched near the North bank of the
Rappahannock. Never any other location along the span. I will note that
the physicist in me observes that the cormorants occupy the locations
nearest the supporting poles where the line motion is minimized and
economizes the energy spent in balancing while perched. But what draws the
cormorants to this location?? What is your take on this??
Perhaps there is something implicit in these observations that can be
useful to the Northern Neck Chamber of Commerce.......Tom
--
Tom Teeples
132 Lancaster Dr. #105
Irvington, VA 22480
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