(INTO THE WOODS AND BEYOND!)
Do you hear something? You’re acting like you hear something. What do you hear??
Well great, now you’re running away. Could you PLEASE tell me why you’re running away? Should I be running away?
Great, now you’re leaping. Should I be leaping?
Go ahead, DON’T tell me why you’re doing whatever it is you’re doing. You’re abandoning me you know, that’s what you’re doing, abandoning me. Now I’m going to have issues and need a therapist, THANKS a LOT.
I was snapping away at birds that came to the feeder when this crow used a branch to saunter past the lens. When you’re zoomed in really tight, the background can become dark and this made it look like the deepest darkest night had fallen.
I’ve learned a few things about crows.
1. A certain amount of the year, most of it actually, they live together in pairs or small groups.
2. They mate for life. (I think I’ve heard a few domestic disputes up in the treetops.)
3. They’re extremely smart. Some crows in California have been observed using cars for tools. They seem to know that putting walnuts down in the road during a red light is safe. They fly back and wait at a distance for the light to turn green and then watch and wait for a car to crack the nut for them. When they light is red and if the nut doesn’t have a car parked on it, they return and scoop up the exposed insides.
4. Crows hold a grudge. A study was done many years ago to see if crows remember faces. Wearing caveman masks, some individuals caught and banded some crows. When the crows were released, they scolded their captors with loud and threatening cries of outrage. Crows who had witnessed the whole event, swooped down to harass the evil humans.
A second group of humans wore different masks and moved about in the area during the whole capturing and banding process. The crows ignored this non-threatening group.
Crows were captured, banded and released only a view times, but for FIVE years after the event caveman mask wearing individuals were being attacked. Some of the crows doing the attacking weren’t even alive at the time of the original event!
5. Crows don’t just say “caw-caw.” They make clicking sounds and even clear bell like sounds. A week ago I heard the most unusual sounds and went investigating. There was one particular crow in a group of three,’ talking’, using all manner of sounds. Sometimes there would be long musical performances and at other times it sounded like a human baby! This went on for at least thirty minutes.
So the next time you see a crow, remember what an amazing creature it is and that it’s more than just a villain in a scary movie. (For those of you who have never seen Alfred HitchCock’s movie, “The Birds”, let’s just say you’ve been warned.)
I promised you another animal and here it is! We had barely started our drive around the National Bison Range when out of nowhere came a bear. We made our first turn and there were two cars stopped in the road. Three people were out of their cars taking pictures.
I of course took a picture too, which has been cropped, so it looks like we were closer than we actually were. In my case, my son taught me long ago that you don’t get out of your car. Animals can move VERY quietly and VERY quickly.
This bear was right in front of everyone, but behind those standing in the road was a hill with lots of brush in front of it. You never know when an animal is going to come up from behind you and that could be the last picture you ever take.
It’s a busy, busy time for the squirrels. Fall is here and the hickory trees are dropping nuts at a dizzying pace. They fall out of the trees with a solid, LOUD, thump. I used to think the squirrels were throwing them out of the trees, but that proved to be wrong.
The squirrels are gathering the nuts and running to and fro, looking for places to bury them. I did a little research and it was noted that grey squirrels bury the nuts and red squirrels hoard them above ground. One study showed that grey squirrels only find approx. twenty-six percent of the nuts they bury. The remaining nuts get a chance to become a tree one day!
I have only one concern for the squirrels, I think they should wear helmets while they’re gathering the nuts. Safety first.
CURIOSITY!
AGILITY!
ADORABILITY! (Is that a word?)
ADORABILITY 2.0
I am in awe of these little jewels of the sky.
A WINDOW INTO THE WOODS 