Seeing the birds of Spring is always hopeful and the kingfishers and blue herons are certainly back. Yesterday we cycled along the waterfront and saw a loon close to shore, a first along that stretch of the Bay of Quinte. There are also the birds which are remarkable in their ability to survive and even thrive through the Winter, and they include crows and raven and jays. It's easy to take them and their resourcefulness for granted but we can go virtually anywhere in Canada, including the far north, and find them. In fact, members of this family are present on every continent except Antarctica, adapting to extremes of cold and heat.
When we lived in Northern Ontario I loved hearing the various caws and calls of crows ringing forth on even the coldest outings and seeing them contrasted against a clear, blue sky and sparkling snow. It really was hopeful.
Yesterday was International Crow and Raven Appreciation Day, don't ya know. I'm a little dubious about this "day" but why not celebrate 'em? They are remarkable, intelligent, resourceful creatures. They're loyal to each other and some seem to have sense of humour. Hey, any creature spending so much time around humans needs one.
Elijah Fed by A Raven He Qi
Crows and ravens are vital to the spirituality of Indigenous peoples across the continent and beyond. As I've written before, they are also part of the Judeo/Christian tradition. Remember the raven on Noah's ark, and another feeding Elijah in the wilderness?
I'm confident that no Crow and Raven parades were cancelled as a result of our global lock-down. I will encourage you to be on the lookout for crows in your spare time. And listen, they are part of the Corvid family. That should qualify them as the official bird of the COVID crisis!
And why not watch this episode of The Nature of Things on crows?
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5fe7ob
Raven Flying Along an Iceland Beach -- David Mundy
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