Crows All AROUND

I am now living in the land of the crows.  I have not seen a raven around the house although I have not given up hope.   There is a large open space across the way and I plan to start daily walks over there with eggs in my pocket.  Maybe I can coax a raven to come across the street and visit me.
Meanwhile I am making friends with the crows.  They are too small a bird to pick up a chicken egg so I had to think of what they might like as a treat.  I jumped in the car and went to the store and bought unsalted peanuts in the shell.  Yum- crows like those and so do the bluejays.  I put their treats in the same spot each morning and now they are waiting for me.  Those corvoids are such smart birds- they train us!  I don't know how the neighbors are going to like crows out there every morning but I like it fine!!  They are much better sounding than the rock band that practices in a garage two houses away- who knew- the man we bought the house from failed to mention this fact- full disclosure- I think not!   Oh well- it is life in the city- how I miss the tranquility of Mt. Veeder and the ravens.  However if I can't have ravens I will have their little cousins, the crows.  We shall get along just fine.

Visit with the ravens!

We made a trip up to Mt. Veeder to visit our former next door neighbors who had invited us to dinner.  I took two eggs along in case I saw Bold and Shy.  We parked at the base of the big redwood tree where they like to hang out and I called out RAVENS like I have always done.  I could not hear any raven sounds around at all.  I was very disappointed.  I placed the two eggs by the base of the tree and went up the driveway to our friends home.  While we were sitting out on their porch, the ravens appeared!  They were flying back and forth in front of the porch.  I was so happy to see them.  They did not approach the porch but they were showing off with their flying antics.  When we left that night I checked by the redwood tree and the two eggs were gone!  Crafty ravens didn't miss those!

I have found a new author that I like- James D. Doss who writes mysteries about the Ute indians of southern Colorado.  The stories feature an old woman shaman, Daisy, who enjoys the company of ravens.  She calls them Taqo-ci or Mr. or Mrs. Darkwing.  They talk to each other as the raven skip-hops along beside her.  Wouldn't that be fun?  I want a raven like that!!!

I have put out eggs several times in my new yard and they have disappeared during the daytime so I am hoping one of those ravens I see flying overhead have come down and picked them up.  We have lots of crows in this neighborhood.  I hear them everyday.  I talked to my friend Fred up on Mt. Veeder today.  He said he saw crows by his house for a short while but they have disappeared.  I too noticed crows at our Mt. Veeder home in June for the first time ever in 14 years.  I was so surprised.  Maybe they were trying to move in but it didn't work out- the ravens probably told them to hit the road Jack!!!

One of my friends suggested that I put the eggs on the roof for the ravens.  He said I should build a little platform for them on the roof- oh yeah- that is what I need to do and probably fall off in the process!  Raven will have to see the eggs in the garden and come and get them.  In time I hope this will happen.

In our new digs

We are more or less moved into our new home if you call a blowup bed and 2 chairs moved in!  Our furniture is in storage and will start arriving on Monday.  I have been scouting out the bird life in the new neighborhood.  We are very close to open fields and vineyards and a creek so there are many possibilities.  I have seen ravens flying overhead but way too high to attrack their attention.  So far I have seen the common garden birds, doves, towhees- the plain brown ones, lots of scrub jays, robins and chestnut backed chickadees.  Yesterday I went to the store and treated myself to all new bird feeders and 3 big bags of seed.  I spent the morning setting up the feeders and trimming the rose bushes.  While I was working I saw a pair of black shouldered kites fly overhead.  I started waving my hands and yelling so they circled around to take a better look.  Who says birds don't pay attention to humans???  As soon as I came inside from my chores, the bluejays came to investigate the new feeders.  They have not landed on them yet.  It will take one brave bird to be the first and then look out!!  I made a platform feeder out of a tomatoe support and a planter dish and put a nice big EGG in it right out in the open.  I will watch the egg to see if a raven will spot it and come down and get it.  I certainly hope so.  I am going to bring it in at night if it is not gone by dusk as a wily raccoon would be on it in a New York minute.
I got a message from my neighbor on Mt. Veeder.  She said the ravens made alot of racket after I left, calling for me to come out and play and bring eggs!  After two weeks they have quieted down.  I am going to go up there this weekend and call for them and bring them an egg or two and visit.  They know my car and I hope we can hook up as the modern expression goes!   I will walk on Mt. Veeder just like I always did- it is only 20 minutes away.