The Lark Bunting seems like a humble bird, with its black feathers and white markings on the wings. But the male's courtship performance is a spectacular sight. They fly up from the grassy plains where they live while singing a beautiful song.
Lark Buntings are small songbirds, with a short, thick, bluish bill. There is a large patch of white on the wings and they have a relatively short tail with white tips at the end of the feathers. Breeding males have an all black body with a large white patch on the upper part of the wing. Non-breeding males and females look similar and are grayish brown with white stripes.
Measurements:
- Length: 5.5-7.1 in
- Weight: 1.3-1.5 oz
- Wingspan: 9.8-11.0 in
The birds typically nest in dispersed colonies. Males fly up over their territory and sing while descending to declare ownership of a nesting territory. The song consists of a mix of whistles and trills. The call is a soft hoo.
The nest is an open cup on the ground in a grassy area.
Lark Buntings primarily forage on the ground, mainly eating insects in summer and seeds in winter; they sometimes take short flights in pursuit of insects. Outside of the nesting season, they often feed in flocks.
From Mr. Food
Mom's Go-To Weeknight Goulash is super easy and budget-friendly, making it a great weeknight dinner recipe! This family-friendly dinner is made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, a couple of veggies and your family's favorite spaghetti sauce. Everything cooks together in one skillet, and, right before it's served, it's topped with some yummy cheese. The results are delicious!
- 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 (26-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over high heat, brown beef, bell pepper, and onion 6 to 8 minutes, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and return to skillet.
- Add macaroni, spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese and heat 1 more minute, or until cheese is melted.
1930 – Frank Gifford, American football player and announcer (d. 2015)
National Airborne Day on August 16th honors the military’s airborne divisions of the Armed Forces.
August 16, 1940, marks the date of the first official Army parachute jump at Ft. Benning, Georgia. The successful jump validated the innovative concept of inserting U.S. ground combat forces behind a battle line by parachute. These sky soldiers represent some of the most prestigious and expertly trained forces in the United States Army.
In the U.S. Army currently, two airborne divisions operate. The 82nd Airborne Division out of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina began as an infantry division. During World War I, the 82nd Division activated on 25 August 1917 at Camp Gordon. In 1918, they earned the nickname All American for the composition of their division. Since the soldiers came not only from all across the country, but several were immigrants, too. The 82nd Division represented all of America as few other divisions did at the time.
The second and still active airborne division had a short-lived beginning. During World War I, the 101st Airborne Division organized for a short while on November 2, 1918. However, the war ended shortly after. During World War II, the Screaming Eagles re-activated on August 16, 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. They currently make their home at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.
Both units have served around the world in combat, peacekeeping, and humanitarian missions.
NATIONAL AIRBORNE DAY HISTORY
President George W. Bush proclaimed National Airborne Day on August 14, 2002. On August 3, 2009, the US Senate of the 111th Congress recognized National Airborne Day with Senate Resolution 235.
