Lately, CD has been very sociable, keeping me company and watching me wherever I am in the park. A few times, he's called his parents when he's seen me - 'Grub's up!' - and a few times has accompanied me all the way to the park exit.
Today, though, I started to fear that my crow feeding was becoming a problem.
Firstly, a really sour looking woman with King Charles Spaniel glared at me. Because I was attracting crows? Littering the park with peanuts that dogs might eat? Talking to crows? I don't know. But I have been worried about the mess. I mean, monkey nut shells are biodegradable. It's not like they are made of plastic. But what about the nuts? Far as I know, unless a dog has a peanut allergy... maybe Sour Face's grandson has a peanut allergy?
That was bad.
I had been sitting with CD while he chose between cat food and suet pellets (turned out he liked to mix them up).

I had fed everyone. The Fluffies had decided they wanted suet, which I provided. They were behind me. CD would take some food, bury some, then return to look at me, then take food, bury it and so on. I just watched him. Then he walked around me - as though to see what was at the back of the two-leg. I took pictures over my shoulder and saw this.

He was pretty close to the Fluffies. Or they to him. I thought that if I gave the Fluffies some peanuts I could separate them out. So I got up, gave peanuts to the Fluffies and went toward the Feisties. Then the screaming. I turned and a bird was being attacked, held down by another bird. It was very confusing - and the screams were...scary.
The attacker left the scene - but didn't go far - started to eat the peanuts. The downed bird lay on its stomach and made a pathetic sound. Its tail fluttered and I thought it was about to DIE. I was calling, 'CD! Oh, CD!' and Mr Fluffy was walking toward this bird who then stood up. Mr Fluffy looked at it and then headed to the peanuts, where I thought Mrs Fluffy was eating. I looked at the bird, who I thought was CD. It seemed... punchdrunk.
I though of Jane Goodall thinking that throwing bananas for the chimps had raised aggression among them and led to the fighting and torment in Gombe and I felt desperate guilt.
I couldn't leave CD land-locked. I stayed with him. He was seemingly happy opening peanuts and burying them. Then Mr F ran at him again and CD flew off with his peanut. So he could fly! He wasn't broken! I wondered if his fluttering fall with the peanut had in fact been another game of catch?
Instead of flying to safety, he launched into the Feisties, who were minding their own business, before coming back to the very same place and eating more peanuts.
By that point I had decided that he was a naughty crow and was concerned about Mrs F. But she took off with Mr F, both complaining, and perched in a tree.
It makes me fearful, though, that though I am providing a useful food source I am disrupting the birds. The problem is that I love CD. I love watching him. I love his bright eyes and his shiny feathers.
Comments