American Flock: Millions of Turkeys Headed to Dinner Tables This Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving feast was a celebration of the harvest. The Pilgrims, who were Separatists from the Church of England, had landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620 and were now able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The feast lasted for three days and featured items such as venison, wildfowl, lobster, eel, and seal.

It's hard to say what exactly will be on the table at this year's Thanksgiving feast but one thing is for sure: there will be plenty of turkeys. According to the National Turkey Federation (NTF), 46 million turkeys will be eaten on Thanksgiving Day in the United States. That's up from 45 million last year and 43 million in 2016.

So where do all these turkeys come from? Many are raised by family farmers right here in the United States. However, about 20% of the Thanksgiving turkeys consumed in the U.S. are imported from Canada and Mexico.

The NTF says that the average weight of a turkey consumed on Thanksgiving Day is 16 pounds. That works out to be about 768 million pounds of turkey meat overall. In terms of dollars, that comes out to be about $5.73 billion worth of turkey being sold during Thanksgiving week.

So why is the turkey such a popular choice for Thanksgiving? There are a few reasons. For one thing, it's a relatively affordable protein source. Turkeys also have a mild flavor that goes well with various herbs and spices. Finally, they are relatively easy to cook so even novice chefs can have success preparing them.

Whether you're cooking a turkey yourself or buying one from your local grocery store or butcher shop, here are some tips for ensuring that it turns out perfectly:

• Make sure you allow enough time for thawing - usually 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of bird
• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit before placing the turkey inside- Baste your turkey with butter or margarine every 30 minutes or so- Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast - it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higherWhen it comes to leftovers, there are plenty of things you can do with them! You can turn them into sandwiches, salads, casseroles, or just eat them cold straight out of the fridge. No matter how you choose to enjoy them, I'm sure you'll find that there's nothing quite like eating a delicious piece of leftover turkey on Christmas morning!

California's Flock of Geese (or lack thereof)

For years, waterfowl have been a staple of the California landscape. From the state's many rivers and reservoirs to its major lakes, ducks and geese can be seen paddle their way around in search of food.

But something seems to be amiss with the waterfowl population in California lately. In particular, the number of geese seems to have decreased substantially in recent years. Ornithologists and bird enthusiasts have taken note of this decline and are trying to figure out why it is happening.

One popular hypothesis is that the decrease in geese numbers is due to changes in the climate. Over the past few years, California has experienced a number of severe drought conditions, which may have led to a decline in the food sources that geese rely on.

Another possible explanation is that there has been an increase in hunting of geese in California recently. This could be due to an increase in demand for goose meat or feathers, or simply because more people are becoming interested in hunting waterfowl.

Whatever the reason may be, it is clear that something is causing the population of geese in California to decline. The question now is what can be done about it?

Wide-eyed Flock of Australian Penguins take Chicago by storm

A group of little penguins from Melbourne, Australia took over the Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo last week and delighted visitors with their playful antics. The 22 penguins who made the trip are a part of the zoo's Australian exhibit, which features animals from Down Under such as kangaroos, wallabies and emus.

The zoo's curator of birds, Laura figures the penguins have been a big hit with visitors partly because they are so different from the native birds in Chicago. "They are so charming and cute and people just love them," she said.

The little penguins, who stand about a foot tall and weigh around four pounds, waddled around their new home and posed for photos with delighted children and adults. They also enjoyed playing in the snow on one of the coldest days in Chicago this winter.

While they may be small, these spunky penguins have big personalities and will certainly add some fun to the Lincoln Park Zoo this spring.

Missing Birds: 500,000 Turkeys Lost in Turkish Forest

500,000 turkeys have been lost in a Turkish forest, according to authorities. The birds were on a commercial farm in the Karacabey district of Bursa province.

Authorities believe the birds were spooked by either a storm or coyotes and flew off into the forest. A search is currently underway to find the missing turkeys, who are valued at around 10 million Turkish Lira (2.2 million USD).

This is not the first time animals have gone missing from this particular farm. In March of this year, 150,000 chickens disappeared from the same location.

Mysterious Deaths of Hundreds of Birds Found in Field

In a small town in Arkansas, the death of hundreds of birds has sent the local community into a frenzy. While many theories have circulated about what might have caused the mass fatalities, officials have been left stumped.

The incident occurred on February 2nd, when workers from the Department of Workforce Services arrived at a field outside of town to conduct their regular census. Upon surveying the area, they were met with a shocking sight: hundreds of dead birds scattered across the ground.

The species of birds has not been officially identified, but is believed to include sparrows, doves, and swallows. Many of their bodies were found in contorted positions, leading many to believe that they had died as a result of some sort of trauma.

While officials have launched an investigation into the deaths, they have been unable to determine a cause. Some locals have suggested that the birds were killed by a predator or by exposure to poison, but there is no evidence to support these claims.

Others believe that the birds may have died as a result of something more natural, such as drought or avian flu. However, until an official determination can be made, the cause of their deaths remains a mystery.