What Do Crows Use Playground Equipment For?

It's snowing. And it is a wet snow as the temperature is near freezing. I'd seen a family group of Crows out in the park earlier foraging, chasing off intruders, and basically going about a crow family business.

Now I see a single alert Crow in a tree, scanning the area, no doubt one of the sentinels.

About 40 feet to the north, in another tree, two other Crows are hunkered down on their branches when suddenly both heads whip north.


As does the sentinel's head. And intruder? Or has one of the Crows found some food? I scan around. What are they seeing?


Then I spot this guy on the playground equipment. He's just standing there. Snow pelting down on him.

Wait. Is there something pinkish or red by his toes.

Then he leans down and starts to eat.


Hmmm. Crow looks towards the south pipes that hold up the platform he's on.


He walks over to where he'd been looking. What is going on? I reduce the power of the scope to try to figure out what is going on.


Wow, now there are Crows all over the place. All eating. Have they found a stash? Or while I was staring at the first bird did they all go help themselves somewhere and then bring it back to eat here?

There are three far left. Center is the one I'd been staring at. Highest is the sentinel, and below him and slightly right is another eating. In fact they are all eating except the sentinel.

Oops, I spoke too soon, the sentinel may be eating as well.


And here comes another flying in from the left.

It's a fly through and I think the bird that was just slightly lower than the Sentinel has had his meal grabbed and he takes off in hot pursuit of the thief.

And then there are none...

Donegal Browne