We have to realize that the child’s world is without economic purpose. A child doesn’t understand – happy ignorance – that people are paid to do things. To a child the policeman rules the street for self-important majesty; the furnace man stokes the furnace because he loves the noise of falling coal and the fun of getting dirty; the grocer is held to his counter by the lure of aromatic spices and the joy of giving. And in this very ignorance there is a grain of truth. The child’s economic world may be the one that we are reaching out in vain to find. Here is a path in the wood of economics that some day might be followed to new discovery. Meantime, the children know it well and gather beside it their flowers of beautiful illusion.
Source: On the Front Line of Life by Stephen Leacock; in John Robson's Words Worth Noting
Posted: 2025 Nov 15
Same thing with grey jays, sometimes known as whiskeyjacks. Which I think is an English corruption of Ouisakedjak in Ojibwa (not sure of either the spelling or the etymology) who was considered a mischievous, trouble-making spirit. Fits, doesn’t it?
Jim T
Jim – Yes, it does. Jays are too smart by half. Here’s a link to one take on the etymology (and spelling . . .).
I’ve never seen a red-winged blackbird do that, neat!
At Mud Lake some of the downy woodpeckers have learned from the chickadees and nuthatches there are good pickin’s in people’s hands. Also Mud Lake’s wild turkey last year would hand feed, but his table manners were atrocious and I quickly learned to just drop the seeds on the ground.
Only seen in a (undoctored) photo; a local well known birder with a cardinal sitting on his hand.
Then there are the select Florida sandhill cranes who will eat from an open hand….
Jim R – A cardinal? Where do I sign up for that? Ours take off when I move behind the living room window. As for sandhill cranes eating from an outstretched hand, I’ve seen that, too, also at the Reifel sanctuary. One just pecked (ouch!); the other turned its bill sideways and somehow hoovered up the bird seed.
Delightful!
Laurna – Yes, they were. Next time, I’ll take my own sunflower seeds.