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News about Blackie the crow and his family.
I fed the crows lunch on the driveway today, and sat down to watch them with my cat. A small red-tailed hawk showed no fear and started dive bombing the crows, trying to catch one to eat. It was so small that only one of the crows tried to chase it away, the others would only duck. It would start calling from a tree before the attacks, maybe something it should re-think in it's strategy. Crows are amazingly intelligent and would clue in to the fact that it was nearby. I think the hawk has been staying close to the compost pile where there are chipmunks and squirrels.
Blackie has grown almost all of his new, waterproof, feathers and I can't tell him from the rest of the crows. Only when he is hungry and does his baby call, with flapping feathers, or walks right over to me without fear do I know it is him.
The crows still eat 3 times a day, but some are calling for mates. It's the time of year for last years babies to find a mate and then they migrate south with them. Only Blackie's parents stay for the winter with the new babies. Why should they leave when they get fed every day?
One of Blackie's brothers didn't survive the summer. The neighbour saw a dead crow and with the Re-tailed hawks around, a juvenille bald eagle, Northern Goshawks, Great Horned Owls, I'm surprised I have any crows. Survival of the fittest always applies to the animals living around my house.
I noticed the first sign of a red fox this morning. It left me a present....YUCK! It must have walked over from the golf course and checked the compost pile. The golfers must be slacking off now that there is frost in the morning. No more ham sandwiches for the foxes until next year. I wonder how many kits there are? It was a miserable summer to raise little ones.
Oh well, I guess I'll digest supper and get to work painting. Night time is always the best time to paint. :)
Pam
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