Ravens in our Midst

The raven buddies are still hanging out with us. They were especially vigilant yesterday when we were working in and around the storage building. As we put things outside to sort, discard or ready for the rummage sale, they circled the sky above us. I'm certain that they figured any moment now, a morsel of food would appear for them. Of course, it didn't. But they persisted in the watch. Funny birds.

Today, we had several black bags of garbage in the back of one of the pick up trucks. I watched as one tested the territory, by first landing thirty feet away, then hopping to twenty feet, and then finally zeroing in on his target. There he was in the back of the truck, ripping into a bag. I chased him off...several times. Then a neighbor stopped by with a dog, and the dog happily chased him off. Finally, Greg covered the stuff with a tarp, so they couldn't see the bags any longer. I wondered if they knew that the bags were still there, but underneath. I didn't have time to observe long enough, but I'm curious to know if their "smarts" extend that far. I'm sure I'll get more opportunities to look for the answer. Seems I can't forget a trash bag in a truck or on a porch for more than five minutes before they find it. Good eyesight.

I was a bit concerned that when we were making pizza tonight, we might have these guys for visitors, too. No worries, though, as they made themselves scarce. Just a chipmunk or two to keep an eye on, and so far they aren't bold--0r savvy--enough to have figured out the tables full of temptations. Not so for me....the pizzas tasted great, and the brownies our neighbor John brought were delightful. If it weren't for the no-see-ums eating our ankles, I may have stayed out there longer. Now that's a new way of dieting and portion control!