The weather has been very hot here in Northern California this week. Everyone is complaining, including me. This hot weather reminds me of the weather in Napa when I was growing up. It was hot, hot , hot and we spent the whole day at the high school swimming pool for $.25. Wow- those days are long gone. For relief from the heat we decided to go to Bodega Bay for the day. We loaded the van with cushion, sleeping bags, pillows, books and snacks and off we went. I was hoping to get cool and see the resident pair of ravens at Bodega Head.
It was in the high 90's in Napa when we left home. When we got to Bodega we could see a fog bank at a far distance out at sea. At Bodega Head the wind was blowing very hard and it was COLD!!! Wow!! We parked the van so that the back of the van opened with a great view of the pounding surf below. We had to put on jackets and get under the sleeping bags. This was wonderful.
We were there several hours and then the ravens showed up! Not 2 but 3 ravens. Number 3 must have been a juvenile. They were having such a good time, diving, turning, wheeling around in the wind. They let the wind carry them here and there. They looked to be having such a great time in the wind. They flew back and forth in front of the open van back door. I didn't have anything to feed them- bad RavenMaven, bad, bad. Where are the eggs, the peanuts, the dried cat food?? I forgot these essential items in my haste to get cool. It was a wonderful treat to see the Ravens Delight in the cool ocean winds.
The week before we had an adventure of looking at a Mt. Veeder fixer. This would be a cottage on Mt. Veeder built who knows when, falling off its foundation, with a bad well and an unknown septic system. The attraction of the place was that it was 2 blocks from where we used to live on Mt. Veeder. While I was there I could hear Bold and Shy (my resident ravens) on one side of the property and the Smith's raven pair calling from the other side. Wow- raven heaven for me. The fixer is a short sale but alas and alack- my husband did a spreadsheet analysis of what it would take to make this place liveable. What a money pit it would be, so no Mt. Veeder fixer for me, sigh, double sigh.
So for now, I am a crow's friend. Mr. Crow comes every morning and every evening before dusk. He gets his peanuts everyday. Right now there is a young crow out front begging for food so I am off to sprinkle peanuts on the driveway. The crows have to be quick as the blue jays are much quicker and get the peanuts before you know it! Life among the corvids continues to be wonderful!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Life with Crows
I have been visiting the ravens up on Mt. Veeder about once a week just to hear their chatter and to see them do their acrobatics in the air. It is always a thrill but my life is with crows at the present.
A few weeks ago I was driving in my neighborhood and I saw a young crow walking down the sidewalk dragging one wing on the ground. I felt so bad for him, so I parked the car and got out to look him over. He tried to run away from me and ran under a bush. I looked around for something to put him in. I asked a couple of neighbors if they had a box I could use. They looked at me like I was crazy. One lady slammed the door in my face. So much for helping nature in Napa Valley. So I got a sweater that I had in the car, got under the bush and carefully wrapped the sweater around the crow. It was amazing how little the bird weighed. I then drove to my vet's office. They told me to go to Silverado Vets where the wildlife rescue group would pick up the bird. They were so nice at Silverado Vet. They came out and collected the bird who was now sitting on my dash board. He had not stay wrapped up in the sweater very long. The wildlife rescue called me later and told me that they had him in a wing wrap. That was the best I could do and to make a donation to the Napa Valley Wildlife Rescue. It was rewarding to know that there is a group that cares for injured wildlife.
I now have a crow friend. The crow comes every morning about 8:30 AM. He used to come earlier but I told him NO NO- too early- NO peanuts at 6:30 AM. He now comes at 8:30 AM regular as clockwork. He sits on the rose arbor and waits for me to see him. He used to crow and make alot of racket but I told him NO NO- too much noise. Now he sits quietly and waits for me to appear. I then throw out a bunch of unsalted peanuts in the shell. It is then a free for all- crow, blue jays and squirrels appear like magic. Mr. Crow can only stuff two peanuts in his bill at a time. He flies off and comes right back for more. Meanwhile the jays and squirrels are cleaning up the peanuts, so I put some more out so crow gets his share. It is fun to watch. I know the jays must have a sentinal who watches for the peanut lady because they are there in a New York minute when the nuts are thrown out the door.
I can now go out the door while the crow sits on the arbor. He used to fly off but now he stays put to see what I am up to. He is nosy like the ravens on Mr. Veeder.
The other morning I heard alot of crow racket. I looked out the front door. I saw crows sitting on either side of a hawk up in my neighbors big cedar tree. They harrassed this hawk until it finally flew away with the crows in pursuit. I used to see the raven pair do the same thing up on Mt. Veeder. Crows and ravens really do have alot of the same behaviors. Too bad Mr. Crow can't do the acrobatics in the air like raven. I guess their wing span is just not large enough. Mr. Crow has to flap his wings alot to get where he is going but crows are cool, there is no doubt. And so we have our daily meet up with peanuts. It suits me just fine.
A few weeks ago I was driving in my neighborhood and I saw a young crow walking down the sidewalk dragging one wing on the ground. I felt so bad for him, so I parked the car and got out to look him over. He tried to run away from me and ran under a bush. I looked around for something to put him in. I asked a couple of neighbors if they had a box I could use. They looked at me like I was crazy. One lady slammed the door in my face. So much for helping nature in Napa Valley. So I got a sweater that I had in the car, got under the bush and carefully wrapped the sweater around the crow. It was amazing how little the bird weighed. I then drove to my vet's office. They told me to go to Silverado Vets where the wildlife rescue group would pick up the bird. They were so nice at Silverado Vet. They came out and collected the bird who was now sitting on my dash board. He had not stay wrapped up in the sweater very long. The wildlife rescue called me later and told me that they had him in a wing wrap. That was the best I could do and to make a donation to the Napa Valley Wildlife Rescue. It was rewarding to know that there is a group that cares for injured wildlife.
I now have a crow friend. The crow comes every morning about 8:30 AM. He used to come earlier but I told him NO NO- too early- NO peanuts at 6:30 AM. He now comes at 8:30 AM regular as clockwork. He sits on the rose arbor and waits for me to see him. He used to crow and make alot of racket but I told him NO NO- too much noise. Now he sits quietly and waits for me to appear. I then throw out a bunch of unsalted peanuts in the shell. It is then a free for all- crow, blue jays and squirrels appear like magic. Mr. Crow can only stuff two peanuts in his bill at a time. He flies off and comes right back for more. Meanwhile the jays and squirrels are cleaning up the peanuts, so I put some more out so crow gets his share. It is fun to watch. I know the jays must have a sentinal who watches for the peanut lady because they are there in a New York minute when the nuts are thrown out the door.
I can now go out the door while the crow sits on the arbor. He used to fly off but now he stays put to see what I am up to. He is nosy like the ravens on Mr. Veeder.
The other morning I heard alot of crow racket. I looked out the front door. I saw crows sitting on either side of a hawk up in my neighbors big cedar tree. They harrassed this hawk until it finally flew away with the crows in pursuit. I used to see the raven pair do the same thing up on Mt. Veeder. Crows and ravens really do have alot of the same behaviors. Too bad Mr. Crow can't do the acrobatics in the air like raven. I guess their wing span is just not large enough. Mr. Crow has to flap his wings alot to get where he is going but crows are cool, there is no doubt. And so we have our daily meet up with peanuts. It suits me just fine.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Crows are More like Ravens Every Day
I have had a report from Mt. Veeder that Bold and Shy have been landing on my former neighbor's deck. They no longer leave when the owners go in and out of the house. Must of been that big bag of peanut treats I took up there for them to feed to my raven buddies. They know that they might get a treat. So- why leave?
I have been watching the crows lately. They have many behaviours similar to ravens. The young crows are flying around with the parents now. I have seen a parent feeding a baby on many occasions now. The "babies" carry on and make alot of noise until they get some food stuffed into their mouths. They are VERY loud- just like the raven babies. They are also very large babies who look like they could find their own food but why do it when they can get some by squawking!
The other thing that happens now is that when I go outside to work in the garden- Mr. Crow arrives and sits in the oak tree. He must watch the yard. He gives me a call to let me know he is there. I then go get some peanuts and put them in the tray feeder. Subsequently I go inside the house after I fill the feeder so that he can get the peanuts. He is still too nervous to come down to the feeder if I am in the yard. He has to beat out the blue jays for the peanuts. I know the blue jays watch the yard because they appear as soon as I put out peanuts. The jays grab a peanut, bury it and go back for more- they are FAST!
This crow behavior is different from the ravens. The ravens were not bothered by my presence. I could put out food on the deck railing and they would not fly away if they were nearby. They would then keep one eye on me while they picked up the food and flew off with it. It maybe that their great size affords them some protection so that makes them braver. Or were they just used to me and my behavior?
When I work in the garden Mr. Crow often sits above me in a tree and makes the clicking sound similar to the one the ravens make. It is of higher pitch but very similar. It is like he is talking to me. He must be the sentinal crow for when I put out food he starts squawking very loudly to alert his family group.
Another thing I have noticed is that the crow's call is usually 3 notes in a row. However when he is calling to me, it is a four note call. I find that very interesting.
So- the more I learn about crows, the more I appreciate them. I still miss Bold and Shy. I may never have a relationship with a pair of birds like I had on Mt. Veeder- but at least I had the experience once in my lifetime.
I have been watching the crows lately. They have many behaviours similar to ravens. The young crows are flying around with the parents now. I have seen a parent feeding a baby on many occasions now. The "babies" carry on and make alot of noise until they get some food stuffed into their mouths. They are VERY loud- just like the raven babies. They are also very large babies who look like they could find their own food but why do it when they can get some by squawking!
The other thing that happens now is that when I go outside to work in the garden- Mr. Crow arrives and sits in the oak tree. He must watch the yard. He gives me a call to let me know he is there. I then go get some peanuts and put them in the tray feeder. Subsequently I go inside the house after I fill the feeder so that he can get the peanuts. He is still too nervous to come down to the feeder if I am in the yard. He has to beat out the blue jays for the peanuts. I know the blue jays watch the yard because they appear as soon as I put out peanuts. The jays grab a peanut, bury it and go back for more- they are FAST!
This crow behavior is different from the ravens. The ravens were not bothered by my presence. I could put out food on the deck railing and they would not fly away if they were nearby. They would then keep one eye on me while they picked up the food and flew off with it. It maybe that their great size affords them some protection so that makes them braver. Or were they just used to me and my behavior?
When I work in the garden Mr. Crow often sits above me in a tree and makes the clicking sound similar to the one the ravens make. It is of higher pitch but very similar. It is like he is talking to me. He must be the sentinal crow for when I put out food he starts squawking very loudly to alert his family group.
Another thing I have noticed is that the crow's call is usually 3 notes in a row. However when he is calling to me, it is a four note call. I find that very interesting.
So- the more I learn about crows, the more I appreciate them. I still miss Bold and Shy. I may never have a relationship with a pair of birds like I had on Mt. Veeder- but at least I had the experience once in my lifetime.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
RAVEN TALES
RAVEN TALES chronicles the wild and wacky adventures of RAVEN, the most powerful and trickiest trouble-maker of First Nation's folklore. I first saw the Raven Tales on the National Geographic channel. I have not been able to find them since. So for Christmas I said to myself, what would I really like?? Hum- a Scottish 1890 sewing kit? No- got that last year. Hum- Raven Tales. This is how I could share my love of ravens with my new grand daughter Malia. The tales are in a cartoon form but tell funny, magical and heart felt stories a child could understand. So I joined Raven, Eagle and Frog and their friends, the First People in the land before time and bought the whole set of DVDs and I couldn't be happier. If you ever get a chance to see these, do it and you will be carried away to another time.
Well Sunday's football game was equivocal for me. I live in 49er land BUT who could not root for a team with the name of RAVENS? So I had to skulk around the chips, dips and pizza and say a little- YEAH- for the Ravens. Very softly you understand for fear of retribution from the red and gold folks. So glad that football is over!!
I found the most marvelous book in a used bookstore down in San Louis Obispo. We were visiting our favorite place, Shell Beach which is next to Pismo Beach. It is "The Art of Emily Carr". It was discarded out of the Westridge School Library in Pasadena. Lucky for me!! It is the art of Emily Carr who was born in Victoria on Vancover Island. She painted the most characteristic features of that region- a unique and vanishing Indian culture and a powerful coastal nature. She painted many of the totem poles that were falling into disrepair as the Indians had moved away. There are two raven paintings that most affected me, Cumshewa and Big Raven. Of Cumshewa, a great wooden raven mounted on a rather low pole, his wings flattened to his side, a few feet from him stuck up an empty pole. His mate had sat there but she had rotted away long ago, leaving him moss-grown, diplapidated and alone to watch the dead Indian bones. Young trees had grown up around the old raven, sheltering him from the tearing winds now that he was old and rotting. The memory of Cumshewa is of a great lonesomeness smothered in a blur of rain. The paintings evoke many feelings and emotions. I recommend this book highly.
Well Sunday's football game was equivocal for me. I live in 49er land BUT who could not root for a team with the name of RAVENS? So I had to skulk around the chips, dips and pizza and say a little- YEAH- for the Ravens. Very softly you understand for fear of retribution from the red and gold folks. So glad that football is over!!
I found the most marvelous book in a used bookstore down in San Louis Obispo. We were visiting our favorite place, Shell Beach which is next to Pismo Beach. It is "The Art of Emily Carr". It was discarded out of the Westridge School Library in Pasadena. Lucky for me!! It is the art of Emily Carr who was born in Victoria on Vancover Island. She painted the most characteristic features of that region- a unique and vanishing Indian culture and a powerful coastal nature. She painted many of the totem poles that were falling into disrepair as the Indians had moved away. There are two raven paintings that most affected me, Cumshewa and Big Raven. Of Cumshewa, a great wooden raven mounted on a rather low pole, his wings flattened to his side, a few feet from him stuck up an empty pole. His mate had sat there but she had rotted away long ago, leaving him moss-grown, diplapidated and alone to watch the dead Indian bones. Young trees had grown up around the old raven, sheltering him from the tearing winds now that he was old and rotting. The memory of Cumshewa is of a great lonesomeness smothered in a blur of rain. The paintings evoke many feelings and emotions. I recommend this book highly.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
EUREKA- A BIG FAT RAVEN!!!
My New Year's Resolution for 2013 was to put a large chicken egg out into my platform feeder every day. One day up on Mt. Veeder I put out an old chicken egg as a way to get rid of it and not waste it. I figured some wild creature up on the mountain would find it and be happy to eat it. And that is how I first met Bold and Shy, the Mt. Veeder raven pair. In the past I have put an egg out in the platform feeder at our new home in the valley. I have seen a raven come in, pick up the egg and fly off with it a very few times. Most of time I have a band of crows that visit the feeder. Crows and ravens don't mix very well I have discovered. HOWEVER, hope springs eternal. I know there is a raven pair in the vineyard/park/creek area across from my suburban court. So in 2013 I hoped to attract them to my backyard feeder.
So this morning I loaded up the feeder. One egg, left over raisen bread, chicken scraps, unsalted peanuts in the shell and some cat food remains in a small dish. I was looking out the window and HARK- a raven was trying to land in the platform feeder. He tried several times, flying down and then soaring up. At last he was able to land and he had a feast!!! Oh was I excited and happy. I could hear some crows in the background. I am sure they were none too happy but they did not challenge the big guy. I hope this is the start of a beatiful friendship!
Tomorrow I will put out another egg and some peanuts and see what happens. I am going to be very diligent about this and see if the raven will return. 2013 could be my lucky raven year!
So this morning I loaded up the feeder. One egg, left over raisen bread, chicken scraps, unsalted peanuts in the shell and some cat food remains in a small dish. I was looking out the window and HARK- a raven was trying to land in the platform feeder. He tried several times, flying down and then soaring up. At last he was able to land and he had a feast!!! Oh was I excited and happy. I could hear some crows in the background. I am sure they were none too happy but they did not challenge the big guy. I hope this is the start of a beatiful friendship!
Tomorrow I will put out another egg and some peanuts and see what happens. I am going to be very diligent about this and see if the raven will return. 2013 could be my lucky raven year!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Mt. Veeder Raven Visit
This week I had the opportunity to go up to Mt. Veeder for two visits. On Monday afternoon I went up to the The Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind. It is across and down a little from our former residence on Mt. Veeder. I was there as part of the Hill and Dale Club to give the camp a $1000 toward operation of the camp. I had not been to the camp since 1958-60 when I was a Girl Scout. The camp is on the down hill side of the road and it is quite steep. As a Girl Scout we would walk with the blind children all around the camp. There were ropes along the sides of the paths that the blind children would hold on to as they walked with us. The ropes are still there along the paths. The director told us that the children don't use them anymore as they are trained to use a walking cane at an early age. In the late 1950's children were not trained to use the walking canes. This changed however due to the fact that many men coming back from WW II and Korea were blind. The men were trained to use the walking canes and were very successful. After that they began to train children at an early age to use the walking canes. We also used to roller skate with the children. Unfortunately the roller rink is in bad repair as is alot of the facility. The neighborhood is trying to help the camp out with painting parties etc. HOWEVER- Bold and Shy were out and about overhead. I could hear them calling and see them flying overhead. They were too far overhead for me to get their attention. It was great to see them however and to know they are there in their territory.
On Wednesday the Hill and Dale Club went up to the site of the former Lokoya Lodge at the end of Lokoya Road. Lokoya Road comes off Mt. Veeder Rd about .9 miles from our former home. The Lodge property contains the 2,000 year old sequoia tree that I could see from my kitchen window on Mt. Veeder. We had a great tour of the property with the current owners and saw many historic photographs. My family used to go up to the Lodge on Sundays in the 1950's. It had swimming pools for kids and beer for the adults. It burned down in 1959. It was a visit to the long gone past of the Napa that was before the wine culture took over.
The whole time we were visiting the Lodge area there were 6 ravens flying around and making so much racket. I think they must be juveniles who have banded together. The property owners don't like them because they said they chase away the other birds. I had alot of other birds at my Mt. Veeder home as well as the ravens. The birds will come if there is food available. It must be a lack of food AND the ravens that cause the dearth of other birds. Well- I enjoyed the presence of the ravens- those cheeky birds!! I just really like those big purple/black birds!!!
This evening at about 8:30 PM I went outside to admire the evening and I heard a sweet little bird song. It was coming from the redwood tree by my driveway. I went over there and listened. It was a 4 note descending song. I don't know what bird was singing. I see white breasted nut hatches in the redwood trees. Maybe it is one of those. We had the red breasted nut hatches up on Mt. Veeder. Both white and red breasted nut hatches like redwood trees. I sent a note to the Audubon expert asking if they knew what the bird could be. A little bird mystery right here in suburbia.
Well all in all it was a great RAVEN week with a little bird mystery thrown in- not a bad thing at all.
On Wednesday the Hill and Dale Club went up to the site of the former Lokoya Lodge at the end of Lokoya Road. Lokoya Road comes off Mt. Veeder Rd about .9 miles from our former home. The Lodge property contains the 2,000 year old sequoia tree that I could see from my kitchen window on Mt. Veeder. We had a great tour of the property with the current owners and saw many historic photographs. My family used to go up to the Lodge on Sundays in the 1950's. It had swimming pools for kids and beer for the adults. It burned down in 1959. It was a visit to the long gone past of the Napa that was before the wine culture took over.
The whole time we were visiting the Lodge area there were 6 ravens flying around and making so much racket. I think they must be juveniles who have banded together. The property owners don't like them because they said they chase away the other birds. I had alot of other birds at my Mt. Veeder home as well as the ravens. The birds will come if there is food available. It must be a lack of food AND the ravens that cause the dearth of other birds. Well- I enjoyed the presence of the ravens- those cheeky birds!! I just really like those big purple/black birds!!!
This evening at about 8:30 PM I went outside to admire the evening and I heard a sweet little bird song. It was coming from the redwood tree by my driveway. I went over there and listened. It was a 4 note descending song. I don't know what bird was singing. I see white breasted nut hatches in the redwood trees. Maybe it is one of those. We had the red breasted nut hatches up on Mt. Veeder. Both white and red breasted nut hatches like redwood trees. I sent a note to the Audubon expert asking if they knew what the bird could be. A little bird mystery right here in suburbia.
Well all in all it was a great RAVEN week with a little bird mystery thrown in- not a bad thing at all.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
CROWS ON THE ATTACK
This morning I was out gardening early because it is going to be hot today. I was working in what will be my Alice In Wonderland garden corner. Then there started up such a crow racket! There were 4 crows in the top of the redwood trees cawing at maximum pitch. I thought it was because of the lack of peanuts in the feeding tray but no, the tray had peanuts. HUM- then I saw the problem. A very large hawk with a white breast had settled into the top of a redwood tree. The crows started diving at the hawk. I mean they were flying straight at the hawk and only veered off at the last minute. One after another they did this manuever. Finally the hawk did a dive right to my bird feeder for the finches and he grabbed one. I could not believe it. Wow- he was fast in flight. He got his prey and took off. The crow noise then subsided and all was quiet in the garden. Nature is wonderful and terrible to watch. It is amazing what one can see in a suburban garden.
Next week I will be going up to Mt. Veeder to visit the ravens, Bold and Shy. Our Hill and Dale Club is donating $1,000 to the Enchanted Hills camp for the blind. The camp is located across the way from my former home on Mt. Veeder. This is Bold and Shy's territory, so a visit with goodies to eat is in store. I look forward to seeing them in their habitat.
Next week I will be going up to Mt. Veeder to visit the ravens, Bold and Shy. Our Hill and Dale Club is donating $1,000 to the Enchanted Hills camp for the blind. The camp is located across the way from my former home on Mt. Veeder. This is Bold and Shy's territory, so a visit with goodies to eat is in store. I look forward to seeing them in their habitat.
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