Happy Weekend ATS - Watch the skies and stay safe

Found during my web wanderings...




Btw: I love crows and ravens.

a reply to: Encia22

Crows are awesome.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid



Cheers, I must have been a crow in another life... I'm a sucker for shiny things, I can't resist picking up paperclips, screws, etc. whenever I find them.



Here's a rare albino crow:

a reply to: Encia22

Oooo pretty!

a reply to: Encia22

I like to leave them gifts in the yard. Stale bread mostly, occasionally bottle caps. So far they haven't given anything back.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

There's been a family of crows who come and nest in a tree right outside my bedroom window nesting for the last four years, annoying, but wholesome and very interesting to watch, they usually abandon the nest mid summer when the babies can fly away.

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
a reply to: Encia22

I like to leave them gifts in the yard. Stale bread mostly, occasionally bottle caps. So far they haven't given anything back.

You're a kind soul!

Here are some tips.--> www.housedigest.com...

As for what to feed them, there are plenty of options. They aren't particularly picky, but knowing their favorites will certainly help you in your endeavor. Crows really like whole eggs, so put out a couple small eggs (any kind) for them. Another common favorite is unsalted peanuts — specifically unshelled unsalted peanuts.

If you've just trimmed a cut of steak or broken down a chicken, offer the leftover carcass parts and fat to your crows. They'll also gratefully accept cat or dog food (especially when soaked in water), corn and sunflower seeds, bread soaked in water, insects and worms, leftover fruits and veggies, and bird seeds. Be warned, though, that crows can become quite picky. If you start out feeding them meat and then only give them vegetable scraps and bread, they'll quickly lose interest.

While many birds are attracted to or at least intrigued by shiny objects, crows are especially drawn to them. Wild Bird World points out that this phenomenon is most commonly associated with magpies, but that the black-feathered crow is also a prolific collector of shiny objects. If you find your trash can has been overturned by a crow, odds are they were digging for shiny treasures.

This method is as simple as you would assume. Simply gather shiny objects and scatter them around your yard. Make sure it isn't anything you want back or that's too expensive. Simply scattering a couple of old CDs or DVDs from a thrift store around your yard will work fine, as will shiny coins, nails, etc.

Keep in mind that this will probably scare other smaller prey birds away, so if you're trying to attract other species, maybe consider skipping this step. Also, make sure you don't let pets or kids run across nails or broken pieces of CDs.

I got a friendly murder of crows that hang out here in the mornings. I have a stereo digital recorder and I have recorded them a few times. I played the recording through my guitar amp a few times and the results where hilarious! Crows are smart.

a reply to: strongfp

That's excellent! Be careful if you leave the window open.

Many years ago where I lived we had a neighbourhood watch scheme (against burglars, etc.). Over several months there was a spate of robberies, many jewellery. It turned out to be a magpie that was entering bedrooms through open windows and stealing stuff.

The perp was caught when he remained trapped in a room because the curtain blocked his escape route.

He was given bread and water and told to fly forth and sin no more.

a reply to: Ilikesecrets

That sounds like a fun experiment.

Yep, they're ingenious and gullible, but you can't fool them too many times... they'll suss it out soon enough.

originally posted by: strongfp
a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

There's been a family of crows who come and nest in a tree right outside my bedroom window nesting for the last four years, annoying, but wholesome and very interesting to watch, they usually abandon the nest mid summer when the babies can fly away.

We had a murder of crows that used to congregate in our sycamore tree almost daily and the racket was constant!. I finally got fed up and put on a pair of black silk pajamas (a goofy xmas gift that I never wore) and went out on our second floor deck flapping my arms and screeching as loud as I could. They instantly bugged out! That was 25 years ago and they've never been back.

a reply to: Encia22

That could make a great short-story !

It is said that crows and ravens are messengers from ' the-other-side '.

It is said that ravens can remember, and identify individual humans.

It is said that birds poop a lot.

a reply to: Encia22

a reply to: underpass61

LOL!

For birds, they are pretty brave, but I guess they draw the line at Mothmen!

a reply to: Nothin

Absolutely, I can confirm two out of three of those qualities.

ETA: If you can fit it into this month's short story contest, please be my guest.

a reply to: 19Bones79

a reply to: Encia22

Great op!

I love blackbirds, crows, ravens, jackdaws.
But i live in a town right on the coast. So around here the Seagulls are king being the bigger bird and all that. They get first choice of whatever food is there, then crows then the minnows.

Theres a river going through the town so there is a large swan population as well. Theres a small tree-lined park beside the river and sometimes all birds, gulls and swans are flying around.

a reply to: SecretKnowledge

Cheers! Seagulls are just scavengers, I can't get them to love me unless I've got a loaf of bread. I've seen them kill each other over food.

Jackdaws are beautiful and I find them as affectionate as magpies and blackbirds....I love how they run, stop, run, stop... virtual traffic lights.

Swans, the most majestic and difficult to tame, whereas, geese are loyal and better than some dogs as guardians.

The most illusive are owls, I see them, but just can't get close.

a reply to: Encia22

Seagulls are big lazy bullies. They just wait around until they notice other birds gathering and they swoop in and grab the lot, lol.

Open a window and leave a small treat there, maybe a few feet away from the window to start. The small birds notice everything too.
If a bigger bird comes over for it shoo them away.
In time you'll have a little robin red breast coming to you regularly

a reply to: Encia22

It's your story my friend !
If you need an idea about how to fit it in the current contest, can help you with that, via PM, if you wish.
Will not use that idea myself, but it will sit in the back of my mind, and perhaps come-out in a different way, somewhere down the road.

Agreed with your observation on crazy seagulls.
When they are alone, and find food, sometimes they just start calling-out, instead of eating it.
It attracts other gulls, then they all argue over the food... LoL !!

Saw one trying to swallow a starfish once.
Was watching the poor thing through binoculars, as it just stood there, moving it's head up and down, and trying to swallow it, as a huge bulge from one of the starfish's appendages made the side of it's neck bulge-out.

It was hilarious, and sad at the same time.
Poor thing may have been just another evolutionary dead-end.

Have always thought of ravens, as the motorcycle gangs of the bird kingdom.

As another aside : there is a bird living in the Boreal forest, called the Grey-Jay.
It is fearless, and will perch on your hand for bread scraps.

Why is a grey jay called a whiskey jack?
The name "whiskey-jack" is an anglicized version of the Algonquin word for a happy-go-lucky (and sometimes helpful) trickster called Wesakedjak, who could be both friendly and rob you blind at the same time. - Gray jays are most abundant in subalpine and boreal coniferous forests throughout the west and Canada.