Park light

Remember the mentions of the spare crow? The one who teases the residents by stealing food? The one who flies in circles over the park? Once I wondered if, just maybe, it was CD?

Well, today, the crow was circling over me, round and round, looking at me. I called "CD!" and I could have sworn there was a response, a focusing of attention. Then the bird flew west toward the sun and I had the blur lines across my eyes... but I thought, "She wants me to go that way..."

My next thought was that I was being ridiculous. Crows don't lead people in chases. Only wild geese do that. And anyway, there were the Flyings, patiently waiting, so I went to feed them.

Peripheral vision, a black silhouette. She was circling me again.

This time I followed to the far end of the Rec and she landed. Moments later, a second flew to the next tree, coming from the west, where these two live, across the road.

I looked up and heard the cluck-cluck-cluck noise that CD used to make to me.

"CD?"

She looked down.

I placed food on the grass and she alighted, began to eat, as though hungrily, but more likely, in a rush, because although this was at the limits of territory, the residents still objected.

Yet, it was strange, Divo and Diva both flew over, one diving at either Maybe-CD or her mate, but then they stopped attacking and shouting and stood, just watching. The Flyings cawed, but didn't come very close. The two stranger (familiar?) crows were left to finish the food.

Was it her?

I had been thinking as I watched the Unbraves how much I love the crows: their wing-assisted hopping; their clumsy runs; their incredibly controlled landings; their bright expressions; the sheen on their feathers. My heart was aching with the affection I feel for them.

The gift of love, perhaps, to believe in that special bond existing still.