A largish, fuzzy, grey-and-black ball of something fell from a huge tree above and landed on the ground with a thump just beside the footpath. It shook itself a little, and among its grey fuzzy feathers a black eye looked at me...
Up above, a lot of upset cawing was heard. I'm no expert at crow language, but I think the conversation went something like this:
- I told you he was not ready to fly yet! Why did you have to push him??
- But he should be fully fledged by now! We can't keep him in the nest forever!!
- But look at him ! He hardly even knows how to move his wings! He might be hurt!!
- Oh, I'm sure he'll be all right... Just give him a moment... He'll figure it out...
- How?? If he couldn't get the hang of it from up here, how on earth is he going to get started from down there?? Oh no, look... There's a human down there as well, and she has seen him... At least help me caw as loud as you can to scare her away!!
Both of them were now cawing so loud that I could no longer make out what they were saying. Guessing that at least some of it was aimed at me rather than at their offspring, I decided to back off and leave them to sort out their family quarrel among themselves.
Curiosity drove me back to the spot some 10-15 minutes later, though. The fledgling was still on the ground, but seemed to have moved into a slightly less ruffled and more comfortable-looking position (as in the photo). The parents were still cawing loudly from above - whether quarreling, giving flying instructions, or just warning him about human presence again was hard to tell. As I have absolutely zero experience of teaching birds to fly, I again decided I had better just trust them to solve the situation their own way, though. At least the only wild animals in the cemetery (besides other birds) are the two hares, who I think are unlikely to interfere...
I often wonder if fledglings somehow manage to find their way out of their predicament, and, if so, how.
ReplyDeleteJanet, so do I. I went back to check on the spot today, though, and the bird was no longer there (and no signs of anything macabre having taken place), so I guess somehow it did!
DeleteLOVE the story and would have done just what you did. Hope he gets his butt in the air, and he is in a safe place unless you have hawks there
ReplyDeleteSandra, I doubt there are any hawks living nearby - but what do I know... Owls more likely, perhaps, even if I've never seen one of those around either. (But then I'm rarely out walking in the dark!)
DeleteGood story, one that warms the heart - somewhat, since I do hope he figured out how to fly. But some baby birds are known to jump out of nests and land on the ground, where they shelter by jumping into bushes, while the parents still feed them...or so I've read.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I went back today and the bird was no longer there. There is a hedge nearby so if it wasn't able to fly, it might have taken shelter there, I suppose.
DeleteI am sure it's parents will feed it with big juicy worms to give it strength to fly back to the family nest.
ReplyDeleteNorthsider, I did google a bit further and found that crows can indeed continue to feed young ones that have fallen to the ground. It was no longer there today so hopefully the parents managed to provide some kind of help after they'd stopped quarreling! ;-)
DeleteLooks kind of like a Magpie with the white parts. Hopefully the parents will sort it out. Looks like a premature fledging! He must have been either really curious, or pushed out by a nestmate!
ReplyDeleteGinny, in English I find it's called "hooded crow" and according to Wikipedia it is a Eurasian bird, so not one you would recognise from your part of the world. (Latin: corvux cornix, Swedish "gråkråka" = grey crow.)
DeleteEqual parts comedy, drama, and parental panic; it’s wise and kind of you to step back and let nature take its course, though I imagine that tiny, ruffled fledgling will stick in your mind for some time.
ReplyDeleteRo, it was certainly a one of a kind experience for me! It was no longer there today so hopefully they did manage to sort it out "within the family"...
DeleteThat's quite an amusing conversation, I can imagine one of them having a go at the other.
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy. Hopefully it all ended well! (Bird gone today when I went back to check.)
DeletePoor little jackdaw (or whatever he is), and poor panicky parents!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, no casually strolling cats will come by before the fledgling makes it to safety.
Meike, I find that in German it's called Nebelkrähe, in English "hooded crow". In Swedish "gråkråka" = grey crow. - Actually I think the only cats I've ever seen in the cemetery are two that are walked on a leash and harness by their owners!
DeleteBelieve it or not, I was thinking of a Nebelkrähe when I saw the grey part :-)
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