THE CORVID GAME: Crows vs Blue Jays

8 56 40 AM   This is the new stick pile.  It's a slightly different model than the one the sparrows have had for years and this one seems to have attracted a Crow.

And as Crows have a rule that there always has to be a sentinel, here she is on the wire.
 
Stick Pile Crow appears to be giving me the LOOK. 

A small flap climb.

And another look.

Checks the stump.

Landing gear ready.

He looks at the buffet which includes dried corn and dried dog food.  Then suddenly looks up alert.

And flies over to the grape arbor and peers into the Spruce tree.

8:58:51 AM  Then cocks his head, still looking into the Spruce body tensed.

8:59:08AM  And suddenly Crow is no longer there but a rather pleased Blue Jay has taken his perch.

8 59 21 AM  A species rarely known for discretion, Blue Jay hops onto the bird house.

8 59 32AM  Crow comes bombing back to the grape arbor perch from behind the Blue Jay,  and Jay flushes back  toward the Spruce where he nearly collides with his Blue Jay cohort.

8 59 37  There is still a Crow sentinel but she is looking toward the park and now on the wire much closer to the trees and the Jays.

 8 59 41 AM One of the Jays is now in the north Spruce that abuts the first to the south.

 9 00 05  Jay hops down to the woodpile, looks NE.

 9 00 06  And the Corvid Screaming officially begins.  Previously there had been a call from both species here and there, now everyone is calling to everyone else and at every one else.  Its deafening.

 9 00 12  And a Crow flies in over Woodpile Blue Jay's head and lands on the wire west of the Blue Jay's perch.

9 00 39

9 00 39

9 00 39  Note it took less than a second from the first photo where the second Crow is preparing for a landing until  a complete folded wing landing and a look between the two Crows to take place.

 9 00 59  It takes 10 seconds for a Blue Jay to land between them.

 9 00 59  Jay looks at right Crow.

9 00 59   Then left Crow as she begins to turn.

9 01 01 And by two seconds later Blue Jay has rocketed himself into the air in what looks like a sitting position and right Crow is re-balancing herself.

9 01 30  I scan the foliage. Where did everyone go?  There is no screaming.  The games of Blue Jays vs Crows have finished?  The squirrels who took to the trees during the "battle" are still waiting.  So I wait too.

9 02 50  Wait, who should be out on the new stick pile but a Crow, delving for something in the stick bark.  Then Stick Crow takes off toward the northwest.

9 03 12  And now there is a sentinel Crow watching the squirrels come out of the trees.  The same bird as before?  I don't know.

 9 03 31  She takes off in the direction of the previous Crow.

9 03 42 But when sentinel passes over the stick pile a Crow is yet again sitting on the pile.  This time scanning the park.   And so we've circled around to a Crow in the stick pile where we started.

My my, if I'd looked out the window at 8:56AM and seen the Crow,  then gone about my business and looked out the window again, 7 minutes later,  at 9:03AM and seen the Crow.  I never would have known any of it had happened at all.

I'm not sure how this game is scored.  The Crows still hold the yard but the Blue Jays definitely get bragging rights for tweaking the Crows beaks.  

I'm calling it a draw.

Donegal Browne

Bald Eagle Days and the Mystery Print in the Snow

Mark Burdick, a history buff who runs the Sorghum Mill with a steam engine when the sorghum crop ripens at Thresherman's Park, and I headed out for the Sauk City/ Prairie du Sak Bald Eagle Days. It's a celebration of the comeback of the Bald Eagle in Wisconsin. The state has a nesting Bald Eagle population only topped by Alaska in the U.S. and small towns near open winter water have discovered that catering to birding and their local Eagles is more lucrative than catering to hunting. Besides Eagles are pretty nifty. They've cordoned off areas historically used for hunting to safeguard the eagles from being disturbed during their overwintering and nesting in the area.

Our first stop in Sauk was the birding overlook adjacent to the Wisconsin river. Unfortunately it was about 10F, and it was snowing. Eagles just like many other birds, in this kind of weather, tend to hunker down on a perch and wait for things to improve, weatherwise, so there wasn't a single Eagle fishing and cavorting in this typical Eagle spot. While I was checking the opposite tree line. Mark struck up a conversation with a local resident who happened to be walking by.

That is how we got the news that several eagles had been observed perched in tree's by the river, near the the village's sewage treatment facility. Needless to say this was a spot not notated on the official information, so directions in hand we headed for the water treatment plant.

As we drove into the parking lot, the view from the photo above, I spied a suspiciously eagley shape way over in the trees.

To spot the Eagle, first find the little orange sign that says Eagle buffer zone mid-photo. Follow the sign directly up and it leads to a tree trunk in the distance. Follow the tree trunk up until two large perpendicular branches veer off to the left. Just above the topmost of the two is a tiny shape, that is a Bald Eagle. Hunkered down indeed.

A closer view but not terribly clear as number one it is snowing, and two, this guy isn't making it easy for us either by perching behind all those twigs. In fact the spot I was standing in was the only angle from the parking lot, the farthest one was allowed to go near the eagles as it was a buffer zone, where this crafty fellow could be seen.

A marginal increase in clarity but enough to see that this bird is mature and is at least four years old. The clues, a fully white head and tail, and no pale splotches to speak of on the body.

At the local high school, there was a cornucopia of information concerning, raptors, Eagles, invasive plants, local birding guides, wolves, programs by a nature photographer, the WDNR, the people concerned with creating the Wisconsin statewide birding trail, the Minnesota Rapter Center, and a local raptor educator who has been teaching citizens about Turkey Vultures in the company of Uncle Buzzy the Turkey Vulture. It's thought he was hit by a car as a fledgling. He was found and taken to rehab but he had an wing injury which made him unreleasable.

I've now seen 10 or 12education Turkey Vultures up close, besides watching them in the wild through magnification. And strange to say, the species seems to have one of the sweetest eye and facial expressions in the bird world. Once you get close enough to see their little emotive brown eyes, one realizes one of the reasons why vultures are held as sacred in many cultures. They give the impression of being extremely empathetic.

Here is something that just occurred to me, though Vultures are large birds, the other birds seem to have figured out that they aren't a danger to them or their young. I've never seen them being mobbed. Now sometimes in NYC if a Turkey Vulture happens to be flying across Pale Male and Lola's territory in the heat of breeding season, the hawks may usher them out but there isn't any of the screaming and hostilities that can occur when other large birds mosey into "town".

After our visit, to the center of the festivities, we hopped back into the car with another tip from a local Eagle watcher about yet another less often visited Eagle viewing spot.

After veering away from the river for a few miles the river veered back toward the highway and yes, there was still open water here.

The Canada Geese were down on the ice taking care of some preening responsibilities.

Juncos waited patiently in the falling snow for things to take a better tack.

As did this male Cardinal... we got to a spot where the water could be seen without too much vegetative interference and I started scanning the far tree line. Ta da!

There, far, far away, but present, was I'd surmise a three year old American Bald Eagle staring at us.

Finding our presence acceptable, she went back to her business of scanning a particular area.

And scanned some more.

What is she looking at?

A Crow takes off, but that 's not it. Though we have noticed that the Crows seem to perch near the Eagles, possibly to be handy should the Eagle make a kill, and the conceivable opportunity of of taking some for themselves.

Ah, what's this? A group of Common Goldeneyes napping en masse and floating with the current. Perhaps the Eagle is considering a duck lunch? And as everyone has their head tucked who's watching out for the Eagle?

Ah, ha! This fellow some yards ahead and fully awake must be the group's sentinel.

Suddenly Mark called, "He's heading for the water! The brush is in the way I can't see if he hit the water for fish or not, now he's on the ice." And in a few seconds...

The bird has taken to the air again, though I don't see any obvious prey.

She soars.

Changes direction.

Gives us a look at her as she looks at us and then off she goes, soaring down the Wisconsin River. Nearly frozen ourselves we roll off toward home as well.

AT HOME THERE IS A MYSTERY PRINT!

On the top of a powder drift in the front yard was this single print. Apparently made while the bird was on the fly. Who would you say created the print? It was about 20 feet from the area in which I found the neatly beheaded rabbit some months ago. A Great Horned Owl? But on the other hand, today I learn that yesterday while I was out of town an Eagle was seen flying low over my house and across the park beyond. (Of course I was out of town looking for Eagles and one was flying over my house. Birding is ever amusing in that sort of way.) Therefore two rather large raptors have been seen in the area. But it could be a turkey for all I know...that's a big foot.

Any thoughts?

Donegal Browne

And You Thought Crows Were Smart Before-- Or Mr.and Mrs. Crow Make Dinner Togerther.

All times Central--All Photos D.B.
4:28:45pm
When I look outside, there are two Crows. One standing on the bath and the other delving into a crack on the top of the stump with his beak. A squirrel keeps coming toward Stump Crow's stump at which point he jumps into the air and flaps, then comes down on the stump again. The squirrel does it again, and Stump Crow leaps up into the air and startles him again. Startled squirrel runs off a few yards, recovers, and heads back toward the stump. I try to take several photos of Stump Crow, but as I'm having to use the timer, I keep missing him. Suddenly after a delve with his beak into the stump he flies over to the bath, stands on the edge, bends toward the water, then flies back to the stump. I've turned the camera onto the bath but miss the two crows as I have to focus the scope. Then Bath Crow moves so I have to focus again. Better sharp than not right? Besides it's dim, and she's moving so they're going to be blurred so I need to do what I can. While I'm focusing, Mrs. Crow aka Bath Crow has taken a wad of leaves out of the water with her beak by sliding them up the side of the bath and pushing them onto the ground. Then she goes back to watching something in the bowl.


4:28:58pm Another leaf seems to have come into beak reach, she retrieves it, slides it up the side, over the top, and it drops to the ground.

4:29:30pm She then walks over to the left side of the bowl and dips her beak into the water. She raises a wad of several leaves, along with a stiff white something. Is it spaghetti! Is it petrified spaghetti! What happened to the leaves? Did she drop them back in the water? Her beak goes down into the bowl and moves towards the right like she is nudging something. When she raises her beak it is empty. What is going on here?

4:29:41pm She watches right.

4:29:50pm Then she starts walking toward the right edge again.

4:30:04pm She sees me and looks startled. Stump Crow flies off.


4:30:16pm Bath Crow watches him go but doesn't leave herself. Then without really thinking about why I'm doing it, or if it's a good time, or anything else. I just go to the refrigerator, grab a beef bone I've been saving for the wildlife, and grab a baggie with cooked spaghetti which I think is chicken. I go to the patio door, she's still on the bath. I open it a crack and immediately start squeezing and rustling the baggies together. Mrs. Crow who's been looking west, immediately looks at me with interest.

Aha! She does know the sound of baggies, ie. human with food. As I step out I try not to look directly at her. I turn to slide the door shut, and as I'm turning back again, I see her fly into the Maple that's a few feet away. The NEVER happens. Every other time if I look through the door and they catch me at it the Crows fly to the other side of the park. So it isn't easy but I don't look at her because I don't want to screw it up. I go to the stump and empty the baggies on it. That's when I discover I've brought cold spaghetti not chicken scraps, which perhaps was a subconscious act after all in the end. And I march directly back into the house. In the meantime, looking at the reflection on the glass door, I realize that the angle of the light reflects the back yard in the door at this time of day and that's why they hadn't seen me initially.

I don't look, I don't look, I don't look.

4:33:56 Back in the house I grab the camera and am surprised that she is sitting in a spot completely unobscured. Thank goodness for that reflection. I get two photos and she must hear the click because she goes a few limbs higher out of my sightline from inside the house.

She's sticking; she wants the food. Or maybe, just maybe, after how many years of my watching the Crows, and the Crows watching me, that she recognizes me as harmless. And not only am I harmless but I'm the one who puts snacks on the stump. Which I suspect now, she has watched me do before--out of baggies!

Then I remember that the Crows always, always have more patience than I do when it comes to waiting for the other to leave. She's up in the tree just waiting for me to get impatient and go do something else. But how do they know that I've left?

Then I remember the white stiff item that was in the bath. The possible spaghetti. Why am I thinking that it might be possible spaghetti? It was probably just a leaf stem.

Then the light bulb goes off in my head.

Last week I'd had some leftover cooked unembellished getting stale pasta in the fridge. When I was clearing things out, I wondered if since pasta is made from grain, whether the grainivore birds would like it. I went out and put it on the stump. Where it sat.

I kept an eye on it and it looked like it might have been stirred and eaten a bit but eventually after several days it became hard and petrified. Therefore I grabbed the bulk of it and threw it out. Brushed off the stump, where some of the dried pasta bits fell down in the crevices, and forgot about it.

Could they possibly have been pulling the dried pasta out of the stump, putting it into the birdbath and waiting for it to absorb enough water to be enjoyable and tasty?

It's been a half hour. I can't wait any longer. I have to go out and see if there is pasta in the birdbath! I head out the door.

5:03:08pm This is NOT a worm. That is a piece of spaghetti! She was. And there isn't a leaf in the bowl! And there always are lately as it is Autumn and the bowl is under trees.

Mrs. Crow has put pasta in the bowl, removed all the debris, and is waiting for it to soften. Unbelievable!

AND she had a total method for separating the leaves from the pasta. She separated them from each other. Then nudged the leaves to the right. Then she went to the right side of the bowl, waited for the leaves to get there, propelled by her previous nudge, plucked them out and disposed of them. Absolutely amazing!

In a way, Mrs. Crow was "cooking" dinner. She was actually watching the pasta closely while it went through the process of softening. Removing the leaves that might obscure the view? She was actually waiting for it to be "ready". Come to think of it if she left it too long she'd be unable to get it out because it would have turned to goo.

Think of how many steps they went through to get to the goal. They? Because two crows were initially working communally. The male procured it out of the stump and she "cooked" it. All for the goal of properly Crow eatable pasta.

And now she's waiting to come down and get the food from the stump or from the bath? How do I know.

Wow.


5:43:10pm A flock of geese take to the sky from behind the park pavilion. They must have been foraging on the sports fields. It's been over an hour and Mrs. Crow still hasn't come down yet to the stump.

I need to go to the store. ( Yeah, I know, the Crows win again.)

When I get back it's completely dark but I immediately head for the stump.

The beef bone is gone as is some of the pasta.

I forgot to check the birdbath. Where's the flashlight?

Donegal Browne