Mobbing

          I was raised by an English teacher, so in my formative years vocabulary was a big deal.  Frequently I would hear Mom say, “Do you have a better word for that?”  Conversely, if I said, “During lunch, my conversation with Becky seemed aimless and trite.”  My mom would immediately cheer, “Good word!!”  

        Yesterday it was mid morning when I was driving through Hurst and witnessed one of my new vocabulary words in action.  My heart jumped with excitement.  The word is mobbing.  It is when a group of smaller birds gang up on a bird of prey.  They taunt and tease him until he leaves the area.  In the sky, the bird of prey looked like a White-tailed Hawk.  A group of at least eleven American Crow’s were charging, dive bombing him.  I have never been a huge fan of Crows, but in this moment I was completely enthralled.  Like Ice Cube, these small opportunistic birds were Steady Mobbin’.  It all happened quickly.  I was parked at the intersection waiting for the light to turn green when I saw them chase the unwelcome predatory bird away.

I thought of my mom and called to tell her about this teachable moment.  It’s true that I’m a city dweller, but I always enjoy being reminded of the natural world.  Whether it’s seeing a hummingbird, or a rabbit, regardless of the specifics, it makes me happy.