Caw
It’s only taken a decade or so for her to trust me.
How long do crows live, anyway? Maybe she's the
offspring of original, distant murder who observed
kindness of a human and decided to chance it.
She’s visited the compost heap. I hear her call
when the feeders are filled. Sometimes I leave
rolled oats, raisins, and other tidbits for her.
I hope they watch from afar and see, I mean them
no harm. But then again…
Do I want to teach them that humans are harmless?
on the turntable right now:
I decided to write on a picture taken this month of one brave crow who has started visiting the bird feeders regularly.
On a related note, I recently listened to an NPR story about crows that I found very educational. Click here if you want to hear it.
Mish is today’s host of dVerse’ Open Link Night.
Tao Talk 
Humans are far from harmless…. but crows are quite resilient. I think that they can get quite old. A crow can be between 10 and 15 year old.
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Good to know. Maybe it takes awhile for them to trust, and with good reason. Happy they are resilient.
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What a wonderful crow poem, Lisa! You know how much I love covids, and I love stories about them making friends with humans.
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Thanks, Kim. I wonder if they live in the evergreens?
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Smiles
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This is such a lovely poem, Lisa! It’s a good thing that they are resilient ❤️❤️
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Thanks so much, Sanaa. <3
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Riveting. I had to pause at.. “Maybe she’s the
offspring of original, distant murder who observ ed
kindness of a human and decided to chance it.” A very timely piece.
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Thanks much, Mish.
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Brilliant first line, and great tone throughout…but surely the crow knows, she knows…
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Ain, I think you’re right. She’s still skittish but now she stays long enough to let me get a pic of her. Thanks much.
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I love this poem Lisa and love crows. They are such interesting birds, loyal, resilient and clever. I love watching them and they will remember your kindness. I think like magpies they will assess people and know who are the good ones, and those they need to stay away from.
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Di, we don’t have magpies here, but I really hope one day to see one. I know they like bright, shiny things. Thank you.
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Nice juxtaposition of murder with kindness.
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Thanks, Ken.
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A very brave, and perhaps cunning, crow.
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Perhaps. I know she is far larger than most of the critters who come near. Only the possums have her beat.
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made me think of the many birds that visit my garden for water and treats. what am i teaching them? i think the neighbor’s cat is the bigger threat in my small pie of the world. nicely done, Lisa!
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I do love birds…once in a blue moon…they will take to you. I think they are wise and can tell good from bad humans. Hope you are doing well!
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Max! I miss you! Please send me an email when you get a chance. I’ve been steady working on WMM posts. Hard to believe Feb is almost over. I appreciate your comment.
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I miss you as well! It’s wierd with not commenting all week. Cool on the posts!
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I love this so much, Lisa. (Maybe also because I am reading The Secret Garden (finally) and there is that robin who trusts and visits the gardener daily.
And I like to think your crow understands that it is you who is trustworthy :)
Wonderful Tune to go with !
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Glad you enjoyed the poem and the music. That album is SO GOOD.
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I don’t doubt it! He died the day after my husband. Of course we had to include one of the tunes (not I wish it was this one) on Mick’s video.
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{{{HUGS}}}
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🥰
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Crows have a mystique about them. They are great imitators as well. That last line is truly a warning for the crows.
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Yes they do, Truedessa. I just know I’ve heard people talking about wanting to kill them when they get near corn fields.
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That’s a great photo!
I think crows are smart enough to figure out who is trustworthy and who is not. (K)
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Thanks, K. You can see the water spots on the slider. Looks like an inverse dalmation bird.
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Crows are wonderful and smart… Boem belong to them…nice!
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Who is Boem?
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Sorry-poem…😁
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:)
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On our recent safari, the guide kept repeating that animals know that humans are the most dangerous creature on this planet. A lovely poem, LIsa.
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Robbie, your guide was wise. Thank you very much.
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Humans are very harmful at times.
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Sadje, I think we can be very good at times and show great heart, but those other times… Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
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I fully agree. Most are good but those selfish ones are dangerous
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Very well done, Lisa~
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Jennifer, thank you.
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Birds learn quickly what is dangerous and what is not. Mine come to my kitchen window feeder in the morning while I am making coffee three feet away and are not disturbed by my movements inside.
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When I think of how small and helpless most birds are, they probably have to learn quickly.
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Survival instinct kicks in!
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I love your crow poem, Lisa. Out west, they were more plentiful than here in EL. I still have one that visits and sits in the neighbor’s tree. They are wonderful birds and quite intelligent.
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Colleen, I’m really surprised how many likes this poem has gotten. I thought it was a little rough. I see the crows a lot when they are flying as a group from here to there, or I hear them cawing out of sight. They like it here. Glad you have a crow visitor. I’m sure they are watching you :)
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Oh how I love crows as you do Lisa. What a beautiful poem for your new visitor. I like to think that she remembers you 🥰
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Christine thanks so much and glad you’re a fan <3
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Uff! That closing line! I love this, Li.❤️ I have a one-eyed crow visiting my balcony for the past five years or so.
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Punam, I love it that you have a visiting crow <3 I'm glad the crow continues to thrive though missing one eye.
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❤️
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I get some crows occasionally, but my feeders aren’t easy for them to eat from. Mostly the Redwing Blackbird is able to get to one of the feeders. But the larger crows end up at the neighbors that have a sort of table feeder.
I’ve never tried to hand feed any of my avian friends. I think they appriciate me just the same though :)
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Jules, this one walks underneath and gets tidbits that fall out of the feeders and suet cage as well as tidbits I put out there. She is competing with various species of squirrels and the mourning doves though. Cool that the neighbors have a table feeder. I know what you mean about their appreciation. Their staying alive is how they do it.
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That’s a must-have album in any rock and roll collection. Oh yes, rock on.
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Agreed. Someone I know must have had the album (maybe even me or a boyfriend) because once I got it from discogs and hit play, it came right back to me.
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I love it. There are so many stories related to that album, I wish someone who had some literary talent would post about it ? ? Hint. Hint. :-D
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lol :)
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Crows can recognize individual humans. Over time whole flocks can learn that you’re a friend…though, as Jean Craighead George observed, that’s not good if they’ve learned that someone close to you is an enemy.
Pris cilla King
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Good information, Priscilla, thank you for sharing. I’m friends with my cats but they are never allowed outside.
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