This has blown my mind

Over the past few days, I have seen CD a few times. Strangely, Three's been there but not Droopy. Previously, I'd see Droopy and Three together - if there were two - and CD would be absent. CD was marginally less interested in interaction, but I figured that was fair enough as there's a lot going on in Crow World. It has also been notable that Three had suddenly become a lot braver and, instead of being always the watcher and the last to partake, the first to be frightened off, he was almost willing to accept that I wouldn't kill him.

So, today, both were there and I left them some food before going off the see Mr Fluffy and some others.

CD was looking out for me on my return which was super cool as we hadn't had any real we-time for ages.

Two gulls were circling above the park and landed to gather something. CD flew in, chased them away and started in on it. I came closer and saw it looked like crisps or crackers. He went to bury bits and didn't mind me approaching.

I sat down quite close and threw some cat food.

This game lasted for a while.

Then CD called - funnily enough I noticed those audible clicks (from my special sound) in his caws. Anyway, Three returned and joined us. Not as close as CD, but with us and I thought it was only fair to let him have some food so I threw it out and got up to move away. But I stayed watching them.

This is what I saw: CD begged, as Mrs Fluffy had the other day and Three fed him... I mean her. No, I thought, it can't be. CD's a male! Surely!!! Maybe he's Three's fledgling from last year, which I guess I'd assumed though CD looks rather older than Three, if I'm honest.

I was still reeling from this when CD did something else: sort of squatting with neck stretched, wings slightly open and tail waving.

This, I figured, had to be a female sign of sexual receptivity. So I sought out evidence online. It was a BIT like this... But more like the start of this... Oh! Here a crow makes a cool woo sound! Eventually... 2:14 in... Sorry, I was sidetracked. This is more like it...

I think there was a noise - and I recall ages back seeing Mrs Fluffy do exactly this in the middle of what seemed to be a crow-fight, between the Fluffies and CD.

One other thing, in these mating rituals - and I think I read it somewhere too - the crows grab each other's feet.... which might explain CD's sore foot the other day.

Anyway, I am still... in a sort of shock. My Dad said, you were just wrong, CD hasn't changed, just your thoughts about CD. This is true, but those thoughts were even more involved than my thoughts about the damn Poplars.