Why does one hear Blue Jays in late August for the first time usually for the year?

Filed under: Bees |

raise bees
Image by Hoa Trai Viet Nam
Mù u (danh pháp khoa học: Calophyllum inophyllum) là một cây xanh thuộc họ Cồng (Calophyllaceae), (trước đây coi là thuộc phân họ Kielmeyeroideae của họ Clusiaceae) mọc ở Đông Phi, bờ biển nam Ấn Độ đến Malesia và Úc. Ngày nay cây này được trồng khắp các vùng nhiệt đới trên thế giới, bao gồm ở nhiều đảo trên Thái Bình Dương. Nó được dùng làm cây cảnh do có lá và hoa đẹp.

Mô tả
Đây là cây cành thấp, lớn chậm với tán rộng. Chiều cao từ 8-20 m. Lá cứng, gân phụ rất nhiều và song song. Hoa trắng to, rộng 25mm. Hoa nở quanh năm nhưng thường nở vào hai mùa riêng biệt cuối mùa Xuân và cuối mùa Thu. Quả có nhân cứng màu xanh, rất tròn, có đường kính 2-3cm và có một hạt. Quả khi chín chuyển sang màu vàng hoặc đỏ nâu. Hạt có chứa một chất dầu, màu vàng lục, mùi riêng biệt gọi là dầu mù u. Dầu mù u được dùng để trị ghẻ lở, bỏng, các bệnh ngoài da và được dùng để điều chế thuốc trị bệnh phong.
Phân bố
Cây này thường được trồng ở các vùng ven biển và ở các khu rừng đất thấp. Tuy nhiên vẫn có thể trồng nó ở những khu đất trong đất liền có độ cao vừa phải. Nó có khả năng chịu được nhiều loại đất khác nhau như đất cát ven biển, đất sét hay đất bạc màu.
Sử dụng
Cây mù u được dùng lấy gỗ vì có gỗ cứng và chắc, được dùng trong xây dựng và làm thuyền. Người dân các đảo Thái Bình Dương dùng gỗ mù u để đóng thuyền. Dầu từ hạt mù u đặc, có màu xanh lá cây đậm được các hãng mỹ phẩm dùng trong các chế phẩm chăm sóc da và tóc. Hạt được phơi khô rồi ép dầu. Bình quân khoảng 11,7 kg dầu/mỗi cây.
Ở Việt Nam gỗ Mù U còn được dùng làm răng cối xay lúa.. Dầu hạt Mù U nấu thành cao (thuốc dán) trị sài ăn (chốc lở) trên da đầu rất công hiệu.
Ở một vài nơi trên các đảo thuộc Thái Bình Dương cây này được xem là linh thiêng do khả năng chịu đựng các loại đất, lợi ích nó mang lại cho con người.
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Taxonomy
Current name: Calophyllum inophyllum
Authority: L.
Family: Guttiferae

Synonym(s)
Balsamaria inophyllum Lour.

Common names

(Bengali) : kathchampa, punnang, sultanachampa
(Burmese) : ph’ông, ponnyet
(English) : alexandrian laurel, beauty leaf, dilo oil tree, oil nut tree
(Filipino) : bitaog, palo maria
(Hindi) : sultanachampa, surpan, surpunka, undi
(Malay) : bentagor bunga, pegana laut, penaga pudek
(Sanskrit) : nagachampa, punnaga
(Sinhala) : domba
(Swahili) : mtomondo, mtondoo
(Tamil) : pinnay, punnagam, punnai
(Thai) : krathing, naowakan, saraphee neen
(Trade name) : poon
(Vietnamese) : Cây Mù U

Botanic description
Calophyllum inophyllum is a medium-sized tree up to 25 m tall, sometimes as large as 35 m, with sticky latex either clear or opaque and white, cream or yellow; bole usually twisted or leaning, up to 150 cm in diameter, without buttresses. Outer bark often with characteristic diamond to boat-shaped fissures becoming confluent with age, smooth, often with a yellowish or ochre tint, inner bark usually thick, soft, firm, fibrous and laminated, pink to red, darkening to brownish on exposure. Crown evenly conical to narrowly hemispherical; twigs 4-angled and rounded, with plump terminal buds 4-9 mm long. Leaves elliptical, thick, smooth and polished, ovate, obovate or oblong (min. 5.5) 8-20 (max. 23) cm long, rounded to cuneate at base, rounded, retuse or subacute at apex with latex canals that are usually less prominent; stipules absent. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, usually unbranched but occasionally with 3-flowered branches, 5-15 (max. 30)-flowered. Flowers usually bisexual but sometimes functionally unisexual, sweetly scented, with perianth of 8 (max. 13) petals in several whorls, usually whitish; petals 4; stamens numerous, yellow, grouped in 4 bundles, anthers changing from deep yellow through khaki to brown. Only the hermaphroditic flower has an ovary, a bright pink ball that is left at the end of the stem when the petals drop. Fruit a spherical to ovoid drupe, 25-50 mm long, with a thin, compact outer layer, greyish-green in colour and smooth skinned. Stone with a hard layer and often with a spongy layer, containing a single seed. Seed with large cotyledons and radicle pointing to the base of the fruit. The generic name comes from the Greek words ‘kalos’-beautiful and ‘phullon’-leaf, meaning beautiful-leafed and the specific epithet is derived from the Greek words ‘is’-fibre and ‘phullon’-leaf, alluding to the pronounced veins on the underside of the leaves.
Ecology and distribution
History of cultivation
C. inophyllum is often planted within its range, in western Africa and in the tropics of America. In Uganda, it has been established only in the Lake Victoria zone at Entebbe and Kampala. It is naturalized in the indigenous rainforests of Zanzibar, where it is also being artificially regenerated because of inundations that destroy much of the natural regeneration.
Natural Habitat
C. inophyllum is essentially a littoral tree of the tropics, occurring above the high-tide mark along sea coasts of northern Australia and extending throughout Southeast Asia and southern India. It is common on sandy beaches of the seashore but is sometimes found inland on sandy soils. It generally grows on the detritus brought down by rivers and on the sand and shingles banked up by wind and waves. The soil is generally dry at the surface, but the water table is usually only a few decimetres down, although the water it taps is often brackish. It is also found higher up the rivers along river margins. The tree demands light; temperatures where it grows are moderated by the proximity of the sea and by the breezes. The sandy soil, exposed situation, radiation of heat from the sand, and salt-laden winds make the habitat pronouncedly xerophytic. C. inophyllum is sensitive to frost and fire.
Geographic distribution
Native : Aruba, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Reunion, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Province of China, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam
Exotic : Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, United States of America

Biophysical limits
Altitude: 0-200 m, Mean annual temperature: 7-18 to 37-48 deg. C, Mean annual rainfall: 750-5000 mm Soil type: C. inophyllum grows best on deep soil near the coast and will thrive on pure sand.

Reproductive Biology
The bisexual flowers are pollinated by insects such as bees. The flowering and fruiting periods vary. In India, the flowers appear in May-June and sometimes again in November. It has been suggested that apomixis may occur in Calophyllum, resulting in polyembryony. Trees often bear fruit throughout the year. The fruit is dispersed by sea currents and by fruit bats. Hybridization may occur with C. inophyllum as one of the parents.
Propagation and management
Propagation methods
Natural regeneration usually occurs near the mother tree. The rather woody fruit does not open, and the thick shell of the seed delays its germination. Germination under natural conditions may therefore be delayed for a considerable time until the rind has softened or rotted away. However, the tree can usually be grown from seed without difficulty, provided the seed is sown soon after ripening. Germination capacity is fair, and experiments conducted in the Philippines have shown that complete removal of the seed shell is very effective, both in reducing the average time taken for germination and in raising the germination capacity. As a result of this treatment, the germination period was reduced from 57 to 22 days and the germination percentage rose from 63% to 93%. Seedlings grown in a nursery require shade.

Tree Management
The tree is said to be brittle and liable to damage by wind. In Zanzibar, it is planted on coral areas, where it grows at about 90 cm of height a year after initial establishment, which is very slow; frequent weeding is necessary until the crop is established. In plantation trials in Indonesia, the spacing of seedlings is usually 2 x 3 m. The species coppices moderately. The selective cutting system and removal of undesirable trees can enhance natural regeneration.

Germplasm Management
Seed storage behaviour is recalcitrant; the seeds are very oily, quickly losing their germinative power. There are up to 200 seeds/kg.
Functional uses
Products
Food: The fruit is edible; usually it is pickled but care must be taken with it, as it contains toxins. Timber: The timber is generally slightly heavier, stronger and more durable than that of other Calophyllum species. The wood is often fine textured, and the grain is more interlocked. Sapwood is yellow-brown with a pink tinge and is well defined from the heartwood, which is red-brown, pink-brown or orange-brown. The density is 560-800 kg/cubic m at 15% mc, with an energy value of about 19 100 kJ/kg. C. inophyllum is a good general-purpose timber. In several regions, the wood is much sought after for masts, spars, bridgework and scaffolding because of the tall, slender form of the poles. Being close-grained and durable, the wood is used for boat building, railway sleepers, veneer and plywood; being of a rich reddish-brown, it is excellent for cabinet making. The wood is used for light construction, flooring, moulding, joinery, wooden pallets, diving boards, cartwheels and axles, musical instruments and blowpipes. Tannin or dyestuff: Tannins are commonly present, especially in the bark (11.9%) but often also in the leaves. A decoction of the bark is sometimes used to toughen and dye fishing nets. The seed oil and the latex have occasionally been used in dyeing batik cloth in Java. Lipids: The kernels yield 50-73% of a bluish-yellow to dark green viscous oil, known as domba oil, or pinnai oil, or dilo oil. It has a disagreeable taste or odour, as it contains some resinous material that can easily be removed by refining. The concentration of resinous substances in the oil varies from 10 to 30%; it may therefore be used as a varnish. Domba oil is of excellent quality for soap manufacture; it is also used as an illuminant and in local medicine. The main compounds of the seed oil are oleic, linoleic, stearic and palmitic acid. Mixed with resin of Vateria indica, the oil is used for caulking boats. Poison: The leaves, containing saponin and hydrocyanic acid, are poisonous to fish. The latex is rich in complex coumarin derivatives, some of which are piscicidal, while others are insecticidal. A considerable variety of xanthones is found in the wood and bark. One of the xanthones, called jacareubin, is nearly always present in Calophyllum but is extremely rare outside this genus. Medicine: Oil extracted from the fruit is employed as a remedy for rheumatism, ulcers and skin diseases. Bark is said to be an astringent. A decoction of the bark and latex is used medicinally: internally against diarrhoea and after childbirth, externally against skin and eye diseases and rheumatism. Leaves, flowers and seeds are sometimes also used in local medicine.

Services
Shade or shelter: The tree is planted for shade and for reforestation and afforestation. It also acts as an efficient shore protector in most places. Soil improver: Remains of the pressed seeds (oil cake) can probably be used as a manure. Ornamental: Although slow growing, C. inophyllum is a popular tree for roadside and avenue planting in India. It is a handsome ornamental, the young foliage being crimson and the flowers scented.

Pests and diseases
Leaves and young shoots are susceptible to attack by various insects. The fungus Fomes dochmius causes brown cuboidal rot in the plant. A fungus identified as Trichocoma spp. has been found to attack and kill trees in India.

Seen at: www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/...

Question by ☯Tao☯: Why does one hear Blue Jays in late August for the first time usually for the year?
also, are Blue Jays that common of a bird in America? how about elsewhere? and where specifically?

how their sound is like too? and when, why , and how often see them the most for the year? how compared to Cardinals, crows, etc ? and why this is too?
do they get along okay with other birds?

please explain what you can

thanks for your answers!

Feel free to answer in the comment section below

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One Response to Why does one hear Blue Jays in late August for the first time usually for the year?

  1. Your questions require a long essay on each point. I will try to summarize. Blue Jays spend a great deal of time in the woods. they rear their young in the woods safe from predators. By August or September the fledglings are taken into new areas to forage as the food in the woods dwindles. Jays are a little less common then formerly. They are closely related to crows. Both species has been hard hit by bird flu. Because they are so closely knit in a family, the disease spreads quickly in a flock. They share food, grooming etc. this contact makes them vulnerable to communal illnesses. There was a fear that the crow might be wiped out. There was great concern among birdwatchers.

    As in the other members of the crow family they do have a harsh warning squawk. They also have a funny sound like a squeaky pump..They use their sounds to warn each other and call when they find food or a common enemy. They have other sounds that they use in their groups just to keep in contact.

    Put out oiler sunflower seeds in the winter along with the other seeds and suet feeders. Keep fresh water in bird bath open with a heater. As long as there is food available they will stay nearby till spring.Then its back to the woods to raise the next generation.

    Cardinals will stay in a properly prepared yard the year round. I live on a quarter acre in the middle of a subdivision. Most folks here around keep their yards sheared down to about a quarter inch high. Nothing over privet hedge size in between. They have spots of flowers dutifully planted in little clumps. vegies, are you crazy. fruit trees, when you can buy them in the store? My yard is directed towards birds, bees and any wildlife that can manage to find me.

    My fences are laden down with grape vines and honeysuckles. Lilacs, mock orange, walnut and kiwis cover the back row. Inside these I have shrubs, raspberries and other medium sized shrubs. In the middle are the huge maples that cast a gigantic shadow. My apple trees fight for space between. Privets surround the front yard along with a wild flower garden. A few evergreens fight for their space. The little bitty lawn takes less than one bar on my battery operated mower.

    Humming birds, cat birds, cracklings, robins, cardinals and wrens are some of the birds that raise their broods in ;my yard. No crows or bluebirds live in here permanently.

    The only time they fight is resources. When they have enough to eat and drink it is generally quiet.
    wrens and bluejays will kill fledglings and break eggs if given the chance. Mostly they ignore each other and go about trying to raise the next generation.

    Vincent
    November 29, 2012 at 8:49 am
    Reply

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