SINGLE PHOTOGRAPHS CAN BE ENLARGED WITH A CLICK OR TWO. CLICKING ON ANY OF THOSE IN A GROUP ACCESSES ITS GALLERY, INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF WHICH CAN BE VIEWED FULL SIZE BY SCROLLING DOWN AND CHECKING BOX AT BOTTOM RIGHT.
Early this morning, while I was catching up with my WordPress reading, Jackie rushed in with the small camera, having photographed a young crow on the roof of the garden shed.
I abandoned my computer, grabbed the DSLR, and limped into the garden. Jackie had provided her new friend with a crust of bread lit by the dawn sun,
which it soon eschewed for something more to its taste.
She coaxed the bird down from the roof, and was delighted when it made her “feel like Long John Silver” from R. L. Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’.
Her face was then to register a whole gamut of emotions, from pleasure, pain, apprehension, courage, and a touch of agony.
When she could tolerate no more my Lady transferred the tormentor to her outstretched hand.
Jackie tells me that the pecking is what the young birds do to the parents in order to encourage feeding. She was amazing in her tolerance of the attentions of such a savage beak closing on her ear and tugging at her hair.
Young avians do not instinctively know they are birds. They are known to ‘imprint’ onto an early carer. Crows, in particular, are such creatures. Imprinting onto a human may promote a human identity. The corvine variety are able to recognise faces. I wonder which of Jackie’s will be in the memory bank.
Some time later, our new family member trotted indoors and wandered about. I perched it onto the end of my crutch and led it outside. It kept returning. The consequences were the need for a hunt for bird poo to clean up, and an eventual decision to keep the doors closed.
Jackie continued her mammoth garden watering sessions and her infant kept landing on her head and shoulders until, in desperate self-defence, she turned the spray on young Crow.
This evening we dined on Hordle Chinese Take Away fare. Drinks on the patio had included Jackie’s customary Hoegaarden and a miniature bottle of Argentinian Malbec for me. I had saved some to accompany the meal. Jackie hadn’t. I couldn’t resist checking on our little bird who was finishing his second slice of bread on the shed roof.
While Mrs. Knight was collecting our food we were hit by a power cut which continued until 10.30 p.m. This meant my post was late into the ether, but I consider myself lucky to have managed it at all.
What a day! I hope you’ve given the crow a name. I have a feeling he’ll be hanging around a while😊
Many thanks, Jenny. We’ll have to work on it
I love crows and am absolutely delighted by this post. Thank you so much, Derrick and Jackie. (Although that header photo looks like something out of Hitchcock!)
That’s just what Jackie thought, Oglach. Very many thanks
Great photos. Is it black beak for crows, or yellow? We have a very big creature with a black beak which I thought a raven, and we just saw some big ones with yellow beaks who seemed to take a chipmunk, or at least to take its body if perhaps it was already dead.
I’m pretty sure crows have black beaks. Could yours have been an Alpine Chough? Thanks very much Donnalee
I am unsure what they were, but they’re in the US. I have tried to lok them up–I’ll let you know if I find out.
Jackie is a marvellous good sport to pose for the photos. She must be very fond of birds.
Many thanks, Donnalee. She did do well.
Poor baby, it seemed so determined to love Jackie to pieces (literally) and all it gets in return is a hunk of bread and a free shower! What will you do if it has already imprinted and really intends to be yours forever and ever? 🙂 Crows are also known to be pretty tenacious….. Please adopt it and call it Jim no matter which sex it is 🙂
PS excellent photos of poor Jackie suffering through her first meeting…..
I don’t think I could have tolerated it 🙂
Many thanks, Pauline. I wondered about Jim, but not sure about the origin of the name. I’d like to adopt it. We’ll see.
Ooops, I just Googled it! I thought it was a whiskey…..
I did exactly the same 🙂
Might have to look for a good alternative….
Yep. Have a good day. I’m off to bed 🙂
Superb photo’s and ballsy wife.
She certainly is, Ellen. Thanks very much
Have a great Wednesday Derrick.
You, too
What a delightful post…looks like you have a real keeper in this funny bird.
Thanks very much, Doodle
Oh my gosh! This is the funniest post I’ve ever read, Derrick! Looks like you might have a little competition with that crow…he thinks Jackie’s ear are pretty tasty. Terrific action shots!
Very many thanks, Jill. That is quite a compliment
Lucky Jackie to have been chosen by a crow. Fantastic photos of the experience.
Many thanks, Susanne – withering bites!
What a wonderful post! I love crows. I’ve read that they remember people they like and people they don’t like. But I’m certain he’s going to remember Jackie and you.
Many thanks, Merril
I love the photos of Jackie and her crow companion! Crows are highly intelligent, and this crow could not have chosen a more worthy human companion.
Life has been in the summer work fast lane here, Derrick and Jackie, and I am sorry to have been away and just be diving in again. I trust you are healing up nicely, Derrick. I am off to harp guitar retreat soon here too, and my own June post may not be until early July. 🙂
Thanks very much, Lavinia. I am sure you both must be very busy indeed. Enjoy your retreat
How wonderful!
Glad you thought so, Leslie. Thanks very much
There’s definitely a bond there between Jackie and the crow. So interesting to be open to this … and letting that youngster into your home was brave. Love the photos you took Derrick 💕❤️💕
Thanks very much, Val
I love Jackie’s facial expressions. That bird surely had a grand time with her.
Thanks very much, Arlene. Quite a range
Hahaha thats so good ! You had a good time with bird too. 🙂
Thanks very much, Tabarka
Quite an eventful day. Wonder if that young bird had prior experiences with humans. That was fun. Thanks.
Thank you very much, Sherry
Wow – that was awesome. I had no idea they could be so tame. Jackie was quite a (hilarious) sport. I’ll be curious to hear if the little guy stays around.
Thanks very much, Jodie. You will be kept informed 🙂
Nice.
Wonderful sequence of pictures! Jackie is certainly a trooper.
She is, indeed, Laurie. Thanks very much
I can’t believe the bird was so bold and unafraid! Indeed Jackie was quite the good sport! 😉 <3
Many thanks, Natalie X
As always my pleasure my friend❣️😘🌹xoxo
Fantastic, Derrick. Lovely to see.
Thanks very much, Frank
Omgoodness! What an awesome experience with nature 💕 Beautifully captured 💕
Many thanks, Lisa
My hat’s off to Jackie. I wonder if this crow has been fed by other humans, perhaps imprinted on someone who had enough. Or maybe it’s Jackie’s kind heart – animals can sense these things as you know. Either way, it makes for interesting times! Enjoy!
Thank you very much, Joanna. We will see what transpires
Fascinating experience for you both and great photos to accompany the story. I’m keen to know if your family addition becomes permanent, Derrick.
You will know, Roland. Many thanks
Give a kiss to Jackie from me!!! Wonderful photos!!
Good morning !!!!!!!!
Will do, Efi. Many thanks
Confucius say “When you have baby crow on shoulder, white is a good colour to wear as a top.”
Is that so, John? Many thanks
The crow holding the crust and lit by the rising sun makes a perfect picture. The time lapse of the bird frolicking with Jackie is precious. Are you and Jackie going to adopt it?
You’ll see from today’s post that he is determined. Jackie not so, now. He won’t leave her ear alone. Thanks very much, Uma.
Maybe the crow was responsible for the power cut, getting its own back for the hosepipe treatment?
Nice one, Andrew. Thanks very much
Ha ha! Looks like Jackie might have made a friend for life. Great shots Derrick!
Thanks very much, Jessica. She’s now scared to go into the garden. He’s on her at every opportunity.
Not sure I could have held still while a crow was pecking at me, so kudos to Jackie. Great shots.
Nor me. Many thanks, Karen
I’d heard crows can remember faces, but I’ve never seen one so tame. Jackie has a gift and a friendly face!
Thanks very much, GP. He must have watched her spending days in the garden
Love the photos of Jackie’s new love interest. Totally put a smile on my face.
Many thanks, Miriam
Wow…Pretty cool Derrick. Love the pictures of Jackie. You know Terry’s sprit had been transformed into a black crow in some of my earlier posts. Remember the tricks that this bird used to play on me when I was back in Cocoa Beach? Maybe it was actually Terry visiting you. Takes a while to fly from the U.S. to the U.K.
I had forgotten about the crow, Gary. Amazing. Thanks very much
Jackie’s facial impressions made me laugh out loud. She is indeed suffering for your art and I wonder if she smacked you afterward. 🙂
Amazingly, she didn’t. Thanks very much, Bridget
A set of photos for the record book! Wonderful post, Derrick. And Jackie is way better at this than I would ever be.
Or me, Cynthia. Many thanks
Wonderful recorded. I can tell how Jackie suffers from your art. 🙂
Thanks very much, Amy
Wow she is a good sport! Love this post
She is indeed. Thanks very much, Lynn
What an entertaining story. Quite unlike a couple of my experiences with crows! Excellent pictures, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Cynthia
Oh my goodness! What a fabulous set of photos. Truly amazing.
x
Thanks very much, Melanie
Wonderful pictures but oh, poor Jackie! What is she to do with this insistent admirer?
Thanks very much, Clare. As you know, she is escaping for a few days.
AW! and HA! 🙂 OH HOW WONDERFUL! Jackie not only has two green thumbs, she’s also a bird-whisper-er and has a bird whispering in her ear! 😉 😀
Did the crow get a name?! I’m sure the crow thinks of her as Mama now! 🙂
Crows are so smart and beautiful!
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. You now know his name and have had fun with it 🙂
Well, I’d say it is possible to talk a bird out of a tree.
Quite so, Drew. 🙂 Thanks very much
Jackie, the bird-whisperer! … looks like she’ll have to set some ground (wing) rules for young ‘Jim’. 😀
She is certainly doing that, Widders. Thanks very much
Pure delight! I loved the wide range of Jackie’s emotions. She made a friend for life, I do believe.
Very many thanks, Cheryl
I’ve just been reading an article about how intelligent crows are: https://gizmodo.com/neat-experiment-suggests-crows-are-even-better-tool-mak-1827182584
It’s amazing that Jackie has been able to befriend a crow, however. None of my birds are quite that tame. They do give me much joy, all the same….
Wow! Thanks very much, Helen
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I’ve often wondered what you called it ….
🙂 Thanks for that, Brian
Fabuloso post.
Thanks very much, Walter
A study in facial expressions! Brilliant! Good for Jackie to allow the birds attentions for so long…of course, there always seems to be a price when we get close to birds and animals…pooh being one of these! They just don’t understand how humans work! 😀😀
Thanks very much, Rob. I’ll pass this on to Jackie. I think they understand more than we know 🙂
Yep, you’re probably correct. Maybe why they keep more to themselves!😊
🙂
Awesome
Thanks very much, RS