William. Another post about birds: The Oriental Stork has appeared within city limits. (Logophiles, take note: from German Storch (ster-) , meaning “stiff.” Perhaps so called with reference to the bird’s stiff or rigid posture.) To understand why this is exciting, a bit of background is required. The stork was once extirpated from Japan and the Korean Peninsula. However, in May 2007, a hatchling was reported in Japan for the first time in 40 years, down in the marshes of Yatsushiro, where the farmers scatter seed to attract them: their diet includes many rice paddy pests. A housewife in Hagiwaramachi spotted one checking out a utility pole, likely as a place to build a nest. That is all for the good news today. (The photo is stock as an example of how the storks build nests above utility poles.)
William. Another post about birds: The Oriental Stork has appeared within city l…
