Crows

Since last week, I have found several young crows on the ground. I wonder if  there is something dreadfully wrong with their nests. New houses here are having defects due to soil-settlement issues. It looks like even the crows' dwellings are having defects, probably due to 'air-settlement' issues. Jokes aside, these young ones could have been thrown out of their nests for some good reason.

Whatever the reason, the parents of these fledglings are very protective. They caw and encircle the little one from above when there are human or other animals near their young ones. One almost pecked on Clifford who was curiously near a fledgling.

If the young one is still not left alone after a few minutes, a whole flock of crows would join in, cawing loudly and to some extent, darkening the sky. By the way, a flock of crows can be referred to as a 'murder' of crows. They did look like they will murder someone if their fledgling is harmed. Those crows are most likely the parents and youngsters from the previous year and possibly the year before that. Crows are known to live together with their family for quite some time. They do not change mates.

It is amazing to see the unity among the crows to protect the weak. It is there natural tendency to do that. We human are like that too except for some who have forgotten their natural selves.

Most of the crows are black but there is one with a white ring around its neck who used to visit us frequently. It has the same colour combination as Clifford.

 There is another one which brought a message, literally speaking. See its claw below.

Sometimes they just form a smile in the sky.

Of course, some help themselves to Goldee's food.

Below is a fledgling that has not learn to fly. Someone fed it with rice and then released it near its worried parents.

I used to find bones dropped in the water feature. Perhaps a crow saw its own reflection in the water and try to feed it with a bone, thinking it is feeding another bird. Or perhaps it was trying to make chicken soup. Have you wondered how a bird feed water to the their nestlings? Maybe it is by soaking food in the water for a few days first before feeding.

There are many myths surrounding the crow. Most people seem to enjoy in crow bashing. However, many American Indian tribes saw the crow as a wise adviser and the spirit of wisdom and the law.