Corvid Corner

[Jo UK]

A crofter friend of mine, who lives on South Uist, rescued a raven, many years ago. It is flightless and has made itself at home on the croft. It has two nests - one in the back of the old van, another in a dog kennel . Ravie loves to hate Joyce's husband and attacks him at any opportunity. Here are the lates pictures - one of Iain trying to shake off Ravie. Two of the van nest.

[corvideryck]

Science;facts and good discussion. 'Science' (a kind of selective gnosis?) is a succession or paradigms nested one inside another like those groups of tables the smallest of which is far too small to be of practical use. Not that I'm denigrating Science. If we can avoid the insanity of Pavlov and the mechanistic notions of Skinner in our discussions of the Animalia then we shall do well. This is not to deny acceptance of disagreements between individuals. It's just that we need to smile while doing it. Perhaps we can also remember that the two most mind shattering discoveries in science in recent history are too rich for most scientists who happily brush them under the nearest available Amnesian carpet while plodding happily along with the theories they have invested a lifetime in.

(if anyone would like these twin items identified on what is strictly a Nature forum then we must await the Damoclean Sword of >The Administration< to define the cut-off point. This, of course, is in the remit of both swords and Administrators. Hi! Admin-You are all truly wonderful people)

I favour the theories advanced by Rupert Sheldrake if only because the peer review journal 'Nature' once declared his book >The Presence of the Past< "Fit only for burning" His notions obviously inspiring fear among an editorial staff born long after 1945. However ideas crossing both Genera and species? With corvids anything is possible. Crows are known to watch fishermen leaving baited lines in holes made in ice and while Homo saps' attentions are elsewhere the attentive crows will pull up the lines to eat caught fish, or, failing that bounty, settle for the bait.

Thank you Liis and everyone. We could have a wild time here and maybe,just maybe, encourage LK to mount a webcam trained on a ravens nest next year. Related young from up to two previous years are known to help feeding this years young-afterwards flying off to join a young thugs roost. Pity we can't see the aerobatics corvids fly just for the fun of it

[yarko]

News about 'my' Ravens. Todays visit: raven was on the nest, hatching,
and the other one came even before i left the meat at the usual place - and actually answered my calling; several times.
It flew around to make sure that i can see it, and made a noise that was different from 'alert' call which i already recognize.
I hope it's a beginning of our communication; but i can't be sure yet, this was the first time it acted like this. We'll see.

[corvideryck]

Kuremari,

This is really for you since I failed to reply to your question about Ravens in the Tower of London. I did recall that the tale was a false one originating sometime after Charles II. From the site appended below there is some curious information relating to both the present day raven population and some of the history. Ravens were persecuted in London and quite deliberately wiped out by inhabitants who routinely threw rubbish and old food into either the streets or the small rivers that then showed on the surface but are now covered in. Ravens carried out the only cleaning that was done. For that they earned the condemnation of the Powers That Were. The news that they are now returning to old neighbourhoods and have even been seen in my own home county is welcome. Maybe I'll get to study them at first hand at last. I hope I've partly made up for my really overdue reply.

http://www.forteantimes.com/features/ar ... raven.html

[Kuremari]

oh, thank you so much for the answer!
i have to take time to read all this !
anyway , it is most interesting and educating place, this whole forum,
i knew some bits and pieces about birds and some common names,
but here you learn something new almost every day!
and ravens are certainly very interesting birds.
thanks

[macdoum]

News about 'my' Ravens. Todays visit: raven was on the nest, hatching,
and the other one came even before i left the meat at the usual place - and actually answered my calling; several times.
It flew around to make sure that i can see it, and made a noise that was different from 'alert' call which i already recognize.
I hope it's a beginning of our communication; but i can't be sure yet, this was the first time it acted like this. We'll see.

I have just discovered this discussion..!!
Yarko, WHAT HAPPENED NEXT ?

[alice44]

I just found this thread and then like magic I found this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J06kV1UG ... re=related

It is rather long but it shows a raven popping up around a bald eagle nest and hopping onto the nest and eating some fish (I assume) along with the eagle.

[Jo UK]

Yarko says she will continue the reports and add some pictures too.

[alice44]

A little article on Rooks being clever.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... reach.html



In my neck of the woods ravens are pretty solitary so an unkindness of ravens would be a very rare sighting.

[macdoum]

Thanks to Alice and Kuremari who are helping me to identify feathers found in our garden yesterday found.....
This is from Cornell Ornithological Site;(or s'thing like ?)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =106826971
He, crows can recognise YOU so be kind.!

[alice44]

Thanks to Alice and Kuremari who are helping me to identify feathers found in our garden yesterday found.....
This is from Cornell Ornithalogical Site;(or s'thing like ?)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =106826971
He, crows can recognise YOU so be kind.!

Rather interesting.

[Kuremari]

Thanks to Alice and Kuremari who are helping me to identify feathers found in our garden yesterday found.....
This is from Cornell Ornithalogical Site;(or s'thing like ?)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =106826971
He, crows can recognise YOU so be kind.!

oh dear, we have a crow-family living in our garden, they love to tease and bully our dogs
you say that masks don`t help....

[Liis]

I have just discovered this discussion..!!
Yarko, WHAT HAPPENED NEXT ?

Yes, Yarko, please tell!
On Saturday, in the country, there were 1 or 2 ravens calling high up above the lake. I realised that I hadn't seen or heard them since late spring. Seems they are rather quiet during the nesting.

[yarko]

This is quite a long story about 'my' ravens - with pictures.
I shall to post in next few days!

[juta]

We were very saddened to learn of the death of Corvideryck, the husband of our own Jo.
We wish to express our sincere condolences to Jo at this time.

Juta and Nancy (bociany)

[alice44]

Oh Jo, I am so sorry!

[Bairbre]

Thank you Juta. Love and prayers to Jo.

[Patsycat]

Thank you for posting this, Juta!!
We have Jo wrapped in many hugs!!

[Bisky]

Jo, I'm so very sorry for your loss.

[garina do mar]

Jo
I'm really sorry
Hugs
Teresa