WHITE- WINGED DOVE AND ODE TO WOMEN’S GOLF..............WIFEUS GOLFAFANATICUS

April 8, 1999                   Phil Taunton

Wow, after getting stuck out in the wind and rain early Monday morning, I think this outdoors person just might be looking for an inside job.  I didn’t want to see the rain, especially since the rivers were stable and fishing was rapidly becoming a Prime Time affair in our area. Hopefully, May flowers and a few morel mushrooms brought about by these April showers will be worth the time spent waiting for the waters to clear.

Saturday, while awaiting our little “Easter Bunnies” to come home and pay a visit, Myrna and I were able to add a new bird to our life list of backyard bird feeder sightings and experiences. A white-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica, native to south Texas and southern Arizona spent the afternoon at the feeder and in the trees nearby. I called Marvin Schwilling, one of Emporia’s local birding experts, and asked him about the white-wing. He came over for a look-see and told me this was the first one he had ever seen in Kansas. He only knew of one other confirmed sighting in our state. 

The white-winged dove resembles the mourning dove and has a gray-brown body with the top of its tail appearing to be rufous-colored.  It is a bit larger than the mourning dove and displays large distinctive white wing and tail patches while in flight.

I don’t know what it was doing in these parts, but after Monday’s storm, I bet it beat a hasty retreat back to where ever it came from, even though it snowed enough in Scottsdale, Arizona last weekend to cancel a professional golf tournament. White-wings often travel in large flocks and provide excellent pass shooting and table fare.  Some hunting resorts in Mexico are known exclusively for their white-wing dove shoots.

Jerry Horak, who is a biologist with Kansas Wildlife and Parks, believes Spring is one of the best times of the year for birdwatchers to get out and about to observe rare and unusual birds. Many other species will be migrating through Kansas as they return to their traditional summer nesting grounds further north.

Jerry knows what he is talking about. I saw another rarity Sunday that is very uncommon in MY yard. It was scratching and poking around in one of the flower gardens. Miracles do happen on Easter, praise the Lord.

It was a rosy-rumped Wifeus Golfafanaticus and she was quick to inform me her home range from now until mid to late October would be the golf course.  She and a sistern of duffers can be seen on the links flogging at a little white Roly Poly critter with an assortment of sticks until they beat the poor little fella into submission and it runs in a hole to hide. The women spend a lot of time in tall grass, known as the rough, flushing him out and they become quite irritated, often raising their hackles when the battered little booger gains relief by submerging itself in the lakes and streams on the course.

I’ve learned to survive by giving Wifeus plenty of room when this happens and making sure not to offer any advice that might ruffle her feathers even more. Some men have told me they would rather face the charge of a Cape Cod water buffalo than to offend such a stubborn, strong-willed, wielder of woods and irons!

I fear this species is facing an identity crisis since cooking doesn’t seem to be one of their most distinguished traits, anymore.  I know Wifeus Golfafanaticus’ range around my place, meaning the stove, is used only sparingly during golfing season!    I wouldn’t have it any other way.