“Stop blaming yourself for your failures. Learn astrology and blame the planets.” ~ Unknown
crow friend
Jon Reynolds was visiting yesterday evening. As we were talking in the backyard, I watched a crow walk toward us. Instead of coming to us, though, it walked behind us to the recent brush pile I’d created from the dead peach tree limbs. About an hour later, when Jon left, I went to the brush pile to find the crow still there, sitting quietly on a limb. I was standing above it when I snapped this picture just as Shero, who could see me through her open window, called to me, leaving me no time to snap more. Taking care of her, I returned to talk to the crow, looking for any sign of injury. I saw none, but I noticed many down feathers on its chest. The bird was so calm that I reached down my hand and stroked the feathers along its back. It allowed the touch without so much as a blink of its eye. I went into the house and returned with some nut bread, pinching it into small bites, lining them along a branch within the bird’s reach. Before going to bed, I went out one last time, flashlight in hand. The crow sat silently sleeping, eyes closed, bread untouched. When I got up this morning, I went immediately to the brush pile. The crow was gone, and in its place, a copious amount of downy feathers. The answer was now clear: molting. Research reveals that crows molt once a year in late summer or early fall. Their feathers turn dull, even fall out, causing bald patches, before the beautiful shiny feathers take their place. You can see this in the photo, where some feathers are glossy and blue while others are dull and gray. If you look near its bottom wing, you’ll notice how disheveled the feathers appear to be. Molting is irritating for the crow. Some become grumpy due to the constant itching that molting causes, while others become lethargic and docile due to the great depletion of energy needed to grow new feathers. It’s best to leave them be, and if one needs to help, providing eggs or peanuts for nutrition is best. I didn’t have those, but I had bread, and all the bites of bread were gone with the bird this morning. Only down feathers remained. I felt fortunate to have been trusted enough not only to provide a safe harbor, but also to touch its beautiful feathers. It was an incredible experience. Have I mentioned lately how much I love and admire crows?
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