Answering the eternal question ..

Look what showed up in Rob's inbox today! It's from his "Word a Day" subscription by Wordsmith

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skein (skayn) noun

1. A length of yarn wound around a reel.

2. A flock of geese, ducks, or other similar birds in flight.

3. Something suggesting complex twists and tangles.

[From Middle English skeyine, from Old French escaigne.]

When in flight, geese are called a skein; when not in flight, a gaggle;
and when flying in a V formation, they are referred to as a wedge. Ducks
take a number of terms too: while in water, they are called a paddling.

Talk to you soon,

B.