Richard Rathe<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mindly.social/@VoiceofDuum" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>VoiceofDuum</span></a></span> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://wandering.shop/@rosemarymosco" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>rosemarymosco</span></a></span> </p><p>I have to share my <a href="https://c.im/tags/anting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>anting</span></a> story...</p><p>We were <a href="https://c.im/tags/birding" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birding</span></a> at the <a href="https://c.im/tags/Audubon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Audubon</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/CorkscrewSwamp" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorkscrewSwamp</span></a> in S <a href="https://c.im/tags/Florida" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Florida</span></a>. Most of the hike is on a boardwalk so you are up high looking down at <a href="https://c.im/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a> on the ground when not over water. We see a <a href="https://c.im/tags/CommonYellowthroat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CommonYellowthroat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Warbler" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Warbler</span></a> on the ground attacking a group of ants. It was odd because he didn't look like he was eating them, just tossing them around like he was mad at them.</p><p>Many years later I was reading "The Birder's Handbook" (which has an interesting format, one bird description on each right-hand page, and a more general bird-related essay on the left). I got to the essay on "Anting" and remembered that little bird and the ants! Not mad, not hungry... He just needed a little bug repellent!</p><p>Note that elsewhere on a sister site there is an article that seems to contradict all of the above... ?!</p><p><a href="https://feederwatch.org/blog/anting-blue-jays-taking-a-bath-or-preparing-dinner/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">feederwatch.org/blog/anting-bl</span><span class="invisible">ue-jays-taking-a-bath-or-preparing-dinner/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Bird" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Bird</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Book" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Book</span></a></p>