While I generally loathe the use of the word "literally" in figurative descriptions and recounts, the week literally started with hell.
45 C
The crows and I live in Portland. The land famous for endless gray days. The land that invented June gloom. We don't live in Phoenix and we sure as hell don't live in Death Valley, but on Monday, it felt like it.
Both Sunday and Monday I checked on my crow families frequently. I didn't take the camera. I barely took any pictures with my cell phone except for these, which I edited a little to accentuate what it felt like.
This is Minnow, perching on the edge of the water trough (which I frequently refilled with refrigerated water throughout the two hell days).
And here we have Bo and Lorena, close together, stock still in the heat, perhaps exchanging "I love yous" as they watch the world end. I will absolutely attend the end of the world with them.
When crows are hot they open their wings out wide to get air circulation. They also open their mouths to pant. From certain angles, they look very much like a spade, like Lorena does here.
I was so afraid that my crow friends would die that I sat out there with them for a long time, sweating while a wind blew air off the asphalt that was hotter than the ambient temperature. Every time I came out, the three of them were standing on the ground by the water. There was no threat of predators, not in that heat. I actually got a little sick from being out there so long, but the peace of mind was worth it.
Minnow didn't care about the temperature much. They were hopping around, panting, playing with the water. Kids never know when it's too hot or too cold. Lucky.
Finally, when the heat began to break and a cool breeze of only 98 degrees F (about 36.6 C) began to blow, the crows started to fly around again, arguing over turf and hassling hungry hawks.
Now that it's in the 80s it feels cool.
The next day one of the neighbors drained their pool. It was strange to see such contrast to the experience we had shared the last two days. Here is Bo, wading and soaking some snacks I gave him.
And here is Lorena. Sometimes the pictures I capture of her take my breath away. She is soooo beautiful.
Minnow is beautiful, too!!!
And cuter than a bug's ear.
On one of the non-hellish days this week I got a chance to observe Minnow learning from Bo how to forage for bugs in the leafy debris that lines the street. Minnow would watch.
And Bo would find a bug and Minnow would ask for it. Bo looks a little frazzled in this picture...
But he gave Minnow the bug.
Eventually Minnow hopped off the curb and started copying Dad.
Here's a video of Minnow's foraging lesson.
During this time I got this photo of Lorena with the corn chip in the video. I love how soft and smiling her eyes look.
Minnow is much quieter around Mama. I think Bo spoils the baby.
Here's proof:
On Friday morning I watched Bo and Lorena argue with Charlie and Luna (they live the next block over by the school) about territory. I thought it was cute how the couple chorused together as they made their calls, and even preened each other during the process.
(Lorena is the one with the higher pitched voice. She actually gets chased off the roof by one of the rivals, but I was zoomed in too close to capture the event. Females tend to get bullied more in situations like this, either that or they are more timid. Or both.)
On Saturday, I stitched Bo to my heart.
This tattoo is my own design. I will make a post about it in the next few days. Any recommendations which community I should post in?
While reading this blog, it may seem like Bo Land is crow paradise, in spite of the momentary lapses into hell, but it isn't always. I haven't seen Minnow since Friday. I am trying to remain optimistic, but I am also aware that fledgling crows have a slim survival rate in their first year, even slimmer with new parents.
Minnow, I hope you are ok...
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! If you’d like to learn more about my friendship with Bo, please read my blog An Unexpected Friendship. I blog about Bo and his family every week, and post tons of my photos of crows and other birds (and sometimes other subjects) on a regular basis. If you like this kind of stuff, follow me! And join Feathered Friends!
All photos and videos are mine unless otherwise stated, taken with my Nikon D7500 or iPhone and edited with Apple Photo Editor and Adobe Lightroom.
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our beloved Bo