That decline's probably because they can no longer find niches in houses and buildings where they can nest--humans want their housing airtight and insulated against everything, including nature.
got sparrows nesting in three places around my house... and a couple of morning doves return each year in a spot just out-side from this window.... gotta make noise when them Damn Crows come to get the eggs ... last season a baby made it. was fun to see the two doves teaching the baby how to fly. by insisting on a too-tight house most humans are destroying their immune systems, getting fat and lazy, depending upon a piped-in environment to supply what is just beyond their door .... for free. just went out to see what the temp is.... the news says 22 to 40 F. My ass-in-underwear says: C O L D !
time to put another log in the fire-box... and try to get the damned raccoon out of my attic ...
We've got lots of sparrows and doves but we've also got a lot of old crows that love scrambled eggs for breakfast--I remember being so outraged a few years ago at these poachers that I got out my double-barrel and shot one right after he'd gutted a nest and was sitting on the telephone wires gloating--bang! In less than three minutes the air was full of black-clad cawers who started strafing me as if I was Tippi Hedren and I don’t even look like her!
Looking back at the incident, I guess I overreacted a bit but believe me THE CROWS ARE TAKING OVER and they mean business!
I second that! I was attacked by a crow once and ever since I am very aware when they are near. Just yesterday 25 or so of them were cawing their heads off as a shrike was picking at a pigeon in the street. The noise was deafening. Didn't stick around long enough to see what happened, but the crows don't just "mourn" their own. Ugh.
Beautiful poem.
ReplyDeleteWe're seeing a serious decline in the population of sparrows in the UK. It always warms my heart to catch sight of them.
Thanks, WB--
ReplyDeleteThat decline's probably because they can no longer find niches in houses and buildings where they can nest--humans want their housing airtight and insulated against everything, including nature.
got sparrows nesting in three places around my house... and a couple of morning doves return each year in a spot just out-side from this window.... gotta make noise when them Damn Crows come to get the eggs ... last season a baby made it. was fun to see the two doves teaching the baby how to fly.
ReplyDeleteby insisting on a too-tight house most humans are destroying their immune systems, getting fat and lazy, depending upon a piped-in environment to supply what is just beyond their door .... for free.
just went out to see what the temp is.... the news says 22 to 40 F. My ass-in-underwear says:
C O L D !
time to put another log in the fire-box... and try to get the damned raccoon out of my attic ...
We've got lots of sparrows and doves but we've also got a lot of old crows that love scrambled eggs for breakfast--I remember being so outraged a few years ago at these poachers that I got out my double-barrel and shot one right after he'd gutted a nest and was sitting on the telephone wires gloating--bang! In less than three minutes the air was full of black-clad cawers who started strafing me as if I was Tippi Hedren and I don’t even look like her!
ReplyDeleteLooking back at the incident, I guess I overreacted a bit but believe me THE CROWS ARE TAKING OVER and they mean business!
I second that! I was attacked by a crow once and ever since I am very aware when they are near. Just yesterday 25 or so of them were cawing their heads off as a shrike was picking at a pigeon in the street. The noise was deafening. Didn't stick around long enough to see what happened, but the crows don't just "mourn" their own. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteSOCKET TO ME, LOVEY-DOVEY
ReplyDeleteRecent research quotes
E. A. Poe as cooing:
“Let’s give the raven his due,
He’ll pluck our eyes out too.”