I was working on a puzzle today. I love puzzles. Part of this particular one touched on some unusual words that are used to describe collections of birds. Of course, when you're talking about bunches of birds, many people's minds go straight to the Alfred Hitchcock classic. Remember that scary scene where Tippi Hedren was stuck in the phone booth while the vicious birds swarmed all around it?
But I digress...
Anyway, I thought I would check the internets to see how many words I could find to describe groups of birds. In general, birds travel in flocks, congregations, volaries, dissimulations, and parcels. Chickens are grouped in broods, peeps, and clutches, except when they're little. Then they're grouped in chatterings. I don't know if they're colder when they're young, and I don't know what chatters, because I'm pretty sure that baby chicks don't have any teeth. Ever hear of a run of poultry? I knew that you could get the runs from undercooked poultry, but I had no idea that poultry comes in runs.
Cranes hang out in herds, sedges, sieges, and television sitcoms. Other birds are grouped in murders, murmurations, convocations, mobs, gaggles, skeins, charms, kettles, deceits, ascensions, and pandemoniums. There are rookeries, unkindnesses, musterings, and rafts. There are falls of woodcocks (insert Viagra jokes here) and bands of jays. Okay, well that one makes sense.
There are tons of other collective nouns for our fine feathered friends you can find on the internets, but there are others that are only known to bird aficionados/wordsmiths, such as myself. I thought I would bring them to light here and goose up your vocabularies.
You may not have heard of a gingrich of newtiebirds. These particular birds are near extinction, yet they still make enough noise to be noticed.
Blabbers of palins are common in Alaska, but there have been sightings in the lower 48 over the last 6 months or so. In fact, it seems like we can't get rid of them! Palins are completely undistinguished by their piercing screeches. It's interesting that, as of late, palins and newtiebirds have been fighting with each other to secure a dominant position among looneybirds.
You can't turn on your radio without hearing the sound of a rush of limaughs! Limbaughs used to be seen in Manhattan, but wily New Yawkers managed to get rid of the fat, ugly, cacophonous pests. Currently, limbaughs are seen regularly over the West Palm Beach area of Florida, but there have been sightings in the Dominican Republic. Limbaughs are notorious for pooping on anything of value.
Words are funny things. Were you aware that there are pawlentys of jindals and jindals of pawlentys? These birds flutter around making noise, but they never seem to be able to attract much attention for very long.
If you ever see newtiebirds, palins, limbaughs, pawlentys, or jindals flying at you, I suggest you duck!
But enough of this birdbrained stuff. On to the reason we are all here. Remember, boys and gulls, if you find a comment good enough to crow about, don't grouse or snipe. Instead, swallow your pride, and send them off to topcomments @ gmail dot com (even if it's just for a lark!). You'll be as proud as a peacock if you do!
From TheFatLadySings:
Doctoraaron placed this comment about acetominophen poisoning in Translator's excellent diary, Health Care Series 20090611: Acetaminophen Concerns. The diary was part of a weekly series, Thursday Night is Health Care Change Night, which is published every Thursday evening at 9 pm EST.
From the same diary, this comment from Snud on FDA drug mixing.
From XNeeOhCon:
You should at least skim over the details of nathguy's diary, Fox Newser Attempts Homicide., to truly appreciate the humor of Snud’s quip.
This is what kept me entertained today:
If you don't yet read NCrissieB's Morning Feature most mornings, you should. In today's Morning Feature: Some Necessary Neologisms, there is snark aplenty. Check out the new words coined by Kossacks:
Factshun by Edgewater.
Republicrite by MKSinSA (and NCrissieB's followup).
Rick in Oz starts off a thread, beginning with plandemic.
CJnyc brings us Mastadone and pachydont.
Dump Terry McAuliffe explains sportianity.
Halcyon talks about propagandisticism, and I simply love borkitekt's response!
Gooserock describes the Limabugh Stick.
LI Mike's spinectomy leads to BlueStateRedhead's hilarious entries.
mveit brings us morture and a follow-up.
wozzle's moronality.
There are plenty more where those came from.
In yomamaforobama's diary, No to Negativity, Im a frayed knot (one of my favorite Kossack names, by the way) has this comment on responsibility.
Top Mojo from cskendrick, who soars like an eagle, even when surrounded by turkeys:
Top Mojo with Exclusions
1 - Keep calling . . ......nyceve.....156
2 - PS:.....droogie6655321.....111
3 - Your timing is impeccable.....moiv.....110
4 - Erik's statement was oozing class......BettyinIN.....110
5 - PPS DOMA Protects.....FishOutofWater.....81
6 - I would hope a wise Kossack woman.....marykk.....80
7 - This diary is rational and logical. This diary.....marabout40.....79
8 - You see, Eve, you are mistaken........Ken in MN.....78
9 - The young lady in the last picture in your.....marabout40.....77
10 - I thank gchaucer2,.....droogie6655321.....75
11 - They don't believe in free markets either.....Dallasdoc.....74
12 - I heard a clip of Limbaugh today trying to.....vernonbc.....73
13 - Fr. Coughlin & the Detroit Riot of 1943........serrano.....73
14 - I think it's clear that this was a deeply.....ClaryinVT.....73
15 - Letterman is married and he was not joking.....MadAsHellMaddie.....73
16 - What the hell is wrong with this picture?.....funluvn1.....72
17 - My special thanks to mcjoan.....LarsThorwald.....67
18 - it's interesting that the Obama.....alizard.....65
19 - His Father Would Be a Better Guest on FOX News.....JekyllnHyde.....64
20 - lovely diary.....Jill Richardson.....63
21 - this is one pootie and woozle diary.....Turkana.....62
22 - I don't know if its fair to post this but it.....Unenergy.....61
23 - Bravo......Angry Mouse.....61
24 - Yes......grannyhelen.....61
25 - Fascinating article. Thanks......two roads.....60
26 - This "Kossack" of "the Fairer Sex".....CityLightsLover.....60
27 - Perhaps this leverage may not work,.....TomP.....60
28 - Thanks for posting.....Actuary4Change.....60
29 - Detroit Free Press owner/publisher E.D. Stair -.....chrome327.....59
30 - It'd be nice if I had a million dollars.....Little.....59
Top Mojo - The Full Monty!
1 - Tip Jar.....ClaryinVT.....558
2 - I felt impelled to write.....teacherken.....501
3 - Alms (tips).....Muskegon Critic.....413
4 - Tip Jar.....Ellinorianne.....384
5 - Tip Jar.....nyceve.....373
6 - Tip Jar.....droogie6655321.....350
7 - TJ.....FrankCornish.....320
8 - Tip Jar.....Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey.....290
9 - Tip Jar.....LarsThorwald.....233
10 - Tip Jar.....GregMitch.....230
11 - Tip Jar.....TomP.....220
12 - I wish my little guy was here so he could stretch.....Elise.....177
13 - Tip Jar.....Larry Madill.....176
14 - Keep calling . . ......nyceve.....156
15 - Tip Jar.....slinkerwink.....112
16 - PS:.....droogie6655321.....111
17 - Erik's statement was oozing class......BettyinIN.....111
18 - Your timing is impeccable.....moiv.....110
19 - Tip Jar.....Winter Rabbit.....101
20 - Friday Tip Jar................Bill in Portland Maine.....95
21 - PPS DOMA Protects.....FishOutofWater.....81
22 - Tip Jar.....Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse.....80
23 - I would hope a wise Kossack woman.....marykk.....80
24 - Tips, flames, etc........triciawyse.....80
25 - This diary is rational and logical. This diary.....marabout40.....79
26 - Tip Jar.....ProgressiveTokyo.....79
27 - Tip Jar.....I T.....78
28 - You see, Eve, you are mistaken........Ken in MN.....78
29 - The young lady in the last picture in your.....marabout40.....77
30 - I thank gchaucer2,.....droogie6655321.....75