In our column of Aug. 26, one of our Northwood readers described a particular wing-action of three mourning doves as follows: “They were snuggled in the grass of the lawn. The first one turned and raised one open wing straight up to the sky. He/she held that pose for a few seconds, then changed wings. Soon all three were doing the same thing. Do you know what was happening?”

Not finding any information on the subject I suggested our reader's mourning doves may have been youngsters stretching their wings to strengthen them for flight; or possibly one of their courting rites. I asked our readers for other ideas.

A now retired wildlife rehabilitator, with many years experience, Raine Carson of Milford, wrote: “Like you, I have never read about this in any bird books, but I have seen it many times. I found this process took place on a sunny day and during a light rain shower. Any species of bird will often stretch a wing when having rested for a while, young or adult, but it is usually accompanied by the backward stretching of the leg at the same time. Doves and Blue Jays particularly seem to love to raise one wing and allow the sunlight to 'bake' the underside. Doves and Blue Jays go through this process during a light rain shower — a free bath!

“In the case of Mourning Doves, I don't believe this wing stretching or raising one wing at a time has anything to do with age. Baby Doves do not flutter their wings when begging for food like most other species. They use a soft cry to attract attention accompanied by a quiver of both wings.

“During my many years as a wildlife rehabilitator, I saw this wing-raising process many times. After a few days of rain or cloudy weather, suddenly there would be a sunny day, and every bird in the outdoor aviary would be sprawled out on a twig or on the ground, wings spread out absorbing the sun from above the wings. Doves (adults or young) in an enclosed aviary would invariably raise one wing to sun the underside and then the other wing.

“I do not believe raising one wing at a time has anything to do with courtship, nor anything to do with flight or muscle training. Often I have seen doves do this in our yard when sitting alone. Young will often do this when in the nest, but it is a different process to that of only raising one wing or the other.”

We sincerely thank our long-time reader Raine Carson for this information, gleaned from her very close observations of birds as a wildlife rehabilitator.

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A Center Harbor reader wrote: “I have a small fish pond (about 350 gallons), which is located about one mile from any other pond that has frogs. Most every year I get one or more frogs turning up in my pond. Often they leave before winter or leave the next spring after overwintering.

“This year, I had five small frogs show up during the month of August. Five is an unusually high number. In the past, I've had no more than three show up in summer. My question is, do frogs naturally migrate from their birth pond? And is it usual to migrate for over a mile?”

Our reader enclosed photographs of their pond, including what are known as green frogs (family Ranidae, true frogs).

In the classic “Handbook of Frogs and Toads,” written by Albert and Anna Wright, and published by the Cornell Press, I found one of the most extensive indexes I have ever seen. Even so, there is no mention of the word “migration.”

Adult green frogs are able, with their long, slender legs, to make long jumps and have been found quite far from fresh water. They lay their eggs in fresh water, and they are fertilized from above with sperm from a male. The time of development from egg to mature frog depends on temperature and other climatic conditions. Generally speaking, it takes a year for a green frog to complete its metamorphosis into adulthood. The eggs are engulfed in a gelatinous mass and may be found floating net-like on the water surface.

Breeding can take place anytime between April and August. The emerging tadpole completes its transformation the following spring. Its cousin, the bull frog, spends two winters as a tadpole. I regret not being able to directly answer our reader's two questions. Readers, what say you?

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A reminder that for several reasons, our columns are written two or more weeks in advance. I am no longer able to answer readers' questions by mail. To receive a telephone reply, please enclose your phone number as I am happy to call you without charge, anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. Thank you.

Stacey Cole's address is 529 W. Swanzey Road, Swanzey 03446.