Raven Wanderings

Since the Stealth Raven only comes by once in awhile- I have taken to the road to look at ravens.  We go over to Sonoma County quite often and as we drive I look for ravens.  I was well rewarded the other day.  I saw two groups of ravens having fun.  They were flying, diving, and rolling over in flight.  It was so great to see their flying abilities!  Yes- RAVENS just like to have fun!  Several days later we were in Concord at the parents mobile home park.  I got out of the car and hark! what did I hear but a raven call.  I looked up in the sky and a raven pair were chasing a red tailed hawk.  The hawk must have ventured too near their food source or too close to their nesting area.  This is an urban area but there is a hillside there with large areas of open grasslands.  Perfect for ravens and hawks.
I have been enjoying my crows.  One particular crow is not afraid of me.  He comes around and sits in the tree and makes racket.  If I hear him, I go out with some peanuts.  He has me trained.  He then calls to his crow buddies to come and get them!  The problem is- the blue jays are faster than a speeding bullet.  I swear they have a sentinel posted at all times who watches for me to appear with peanuts.  They immediately beginning swooping in and picking up the peanuts.  By the time the crows have assembled- the peanuts are about gone.  I then have to go and put some more out so that the crows get some.  They are much more cautious than blue jays.  I wonder if it is because they have been chased/harrassed so much by humans for so many years.  I watched a crow tried to stuff 2 peanuts in his beak.  A raven could do it but his smaller cousin just can't quite manage it, but he tried for quite awhile.  Then he gave up- ate one and flew off with the other one.
A friend sent me a very funny video from Russian of a crow using a jar top as a sled.  He would carry the top up to the peak of the snow covered roof, get on the top and then slide down the roof top.  He did it several times.  From this I deduce that CROWS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN- YEA!

HAPPY RAVEN NEW YEAR!!!

2012 is lining up to be a good one for ravens.  How do I know???  This morning while at church service, I looked out the big glass window and what did I see???  A nice big raven sitting on top of a big wooden cross in the church garden.  He had a big treat of some kind that he was working at eating.  So I spent most of the service watching the raven until he flew away.  I say time well spent on January 1st.  This afternoon we walked the open space.  I was hoping to see the ravens that live near the creek but had no luck.  So I came home to rake leaves in the backyard.  While I was at this never ending task- hark what did I hear but a raven talking at me from overhead.  He was in the redwood tree.  The tree is so thick and the foliage so dark that I could not locate him.  So I came inside so he could come down and collect an egg from the platform feeder.  Ah what a sight- a raven picking up a chicken egg and flying off with it.  So what a happy raven New Year for me!!
We found a one bedroom/one bath cottage for sale on Mt. Veeder Rd. not far from our former home and really close to our good friends who like ravens and cats and chickens too.  I emailed our realtor to let her know we wanted to look at it.  Unfortunately she is in Hawaii until January 9th.  We will wait for her return and then go take a look.  What a crazy idea this is!  But I can think of all sorts of positives too.  Hey who says you can't have a country place 8 miles up the road from your suburban home???  AND- I know there are resident ravens that would be happy to meet me!!  The home was sold at the top of the market in 2007 and has gone into foreclosure- it is now a short sale.  The realtor told me short sales are a crazy proposition and a wild ride but--- it could be fun!  Anyway- it is worth a look around and a visit up to Mt. Veeder.