Page 15 - Boca ViewPointe - December '23
P. 15

December 2023                                                   Viewpointe, Page 15
      A Statement About State Birds




      By William A. Gralnick                             where these remarkable birds are found. Without the proper   the crow—meaning big and noisy. Thus, the Florida Scrub
                                                         habitat, scrub jays are in great danger of extinction.  Jay isn’t as unique as making it the state bird would seem.
         I’m  not  sure  there’s                            Unlike their blue cousins, Scrub Jays have interesting      Mockingbirds are all over the place. Google says that
      a  good  reason  why  a                            blue markings on the body feathers, head, shoulders, and   originally they were found in the South, however, northern
      legislature takes the time                         tail. They are sight-catching, and pretty to look at. As   mockingbirds made a major range extension up both coasts
      to pick a state bird, but they                     Florida scrub disappears, so do these Jays. Their numbers   toward Canada in the 1900s. Today they are found in the
      all have, every one of the                         are in decline. Small to begin with, between 9,000 and   majority of the continental United States and in Canada and
      50 plus the territories. I see even less reason to spend the   10,000 they are down to the 7,000s. The problem is that   Mexico. Some of the northernmost populations may migrate
      time changing it. We have a state bird, it is the Mockingbird,   making them the state bird does nothing for them. The   south over winter. Around here they are my morning friends
      a master of mimicry. We almost got that changed for us this   designation brings absolutely no money to rebuild habitats,   that sing to me when I walk the dogs and chatter at me at
      state session. I think the reasons are silly. It’s the state bird   no money to find new habitats, no efforts to see if their   night seeming to say I should go back inside.
      of five states. It tends to be more feisty than beautiful. It isn’t   living space can’t be spread into other parts of the state.      When it comes to singing others’ songs they are like
      unique to Florida and is found pretty much all over the state.  Not much of anything, unless of course birds have egos.   parrots  speaking  others’  words. They  sing  beautifully,
         How did this come about? It is the brainchild of Boca’s   Nice if that were different, but it isn’t.  sometimes across the street from one another, sometimes
      own Representative Tina Polsky. And her choice is? The      Furthermore, other states, like California, have their own   singing to a bird a block away. When they are in voice they
      Florida Scrub Jay. Since her bill could pass let me acquaint   scrub Jays. Wikipedia tells us that the passerine birds of the   cover the neighborhood in song.
      you with Mr. and Mrs. Florida Scrub Jay.           genus Aphelocoma include the scrub jays and their relatives.      Nor are they so bad to look at. They are a medium grey
         These intelligent, inquisitive, and friendly birds will eat   They are New World jays found in Mexico, western Central   with white flashings but explode in white when they take
      right out of your hand! The scrub communities in Central   America, and the western United States, with an outlying   off or alight showing white feathers tip of the wing to body.
      Florida are rare and unique in that they are the only place   population in Florida. Their upper classification is that of   They even have a famous book and play named after them.
                                                                                                           This is from an essay written about it: “Remember it’s a sin
                                                                                                           to kill a mockingbird… ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but
                    Boca Pointe Community Association, Inc.                                                make music for us to enjoy…but sing their hearts out for us.
                                                                                                           That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
               6909 SW 18th St., Suite A120  A special Thank You to our monthly volunteer contributing writers     ‘ don’t think the Scrub Jay can claim that.
                 Boca Raton, FL 33433                                                                         Besides, most people have no clue what their state bird is.
          Office (561) 395-7551 Fax (561) 395-5936  Steve Handwerker  Elyse Weintraub Brown  Yishai Mizrahi  I think if you asked most folks what Florida’s was, they’d say
               Email: info@bocapointe.com   Judith Levy       Hillary Reynolds         Ashley Rozo         the Pink Flamingo. That’s reasonable because they are part of
              Website: www.bocapointe.com
                                            Dr. Ronald J. Meyers  Oris Martin          Tonya Jansson       Florida tourist campaigns all over the world. The problem is
        Access Control                      Lisa Sileo        Peter Sachs              The Pap Corps       they are an invasive species, so they are not Floridian is all.
        Operator: (561) 395-3392            Harold Katz       Arthur Dermer            Robert W. Goldfarb  Still in all, I’d go for that—if I were in favor of a change.
        Voice mail system: (561) 395-3369   Harriet Rubin     William A. Gralnick      Marci Woodward         It seems to me that changing the name isn’t the issue,
        Website: www.gateaccess.net         Anne Gannon       Milagros Gutierrez de Herrera  Josette Veltri
                                                                                                           legislators taking the time to do it is the issue. This state,
        Staff                                 The views of the writers of the various articles in this newspaper do not   along with the country of which it is a part, is a mess. We
        April Narine, General Manager      necessarily reflect the views of the Boca Pointe Community Association.   have more issues than a several-month legislative session
        Lisa Cammaleri, Assistant Manager  The Association nor the individual writers are not responsible for claims or
        Diane Esola, Administrative Assistant  promises contained in any advertising material appearing in the Viewpointe.   can handle. Don’t mock me, but I don’t think it is necessary.
        Marcel Dos Santos, Director of Security  Such claims and promises are the sole responsibility of the individual
                                           advertiser.                                                        Columnist and author Bill Gralnick was born and raised
          Viewpointe of Boca Pointe is the newspaper                                                       in Brooklyn, NY. He is writing a three-part humorous memoir.
        of Boca Pointe Community Association, Inc.
        Please  direct  all  questions,  comments  or                                                      The first is “The War of the Itchy Balls and Other Tales from
        articles for Viewpointe to lisa.cammaleri@                                                         Brooklyn.” Just published is the sequel, “George Washington
        fsresidential.com.                                                                                 Didn’t Sleep Here.” Both are available on Amazon. You can find
                                                                                                           his writing at https://www.williamgralnickauthor.com. 































                                              JOIN THE CLUB AT BOCA POINTE!


                        MEET YOUR 2024 HEALTH & WELLNESS GOALS IN OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART FITNESS CENTER
                       FEATURING NEW CARDIO EQUIPTMENT, NEW SPIN STUDIO & NEW GROUP FITNESS CLASSES.
                    ENJOY OUR NEW COVERED OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE COMPLETE WITH BAR, FIREPITS AND MEDIA
                                        – THE PERFECT SPOT TO SOCIALIZE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

                              Contact Roxanne or Alexis for a preferred Boca Pointe Membership Homeowner Offer.


                                     ROXANNE DOMER: 561.864.8538 | RDOMER@HERITAGEGOLFGROUP.COM
                                 ALEXIS ROBERTSON: 561.864.8537 | AROBERTSON@HERITAGEGOLFGROUP.COM
















                                                    WE CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!
   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20