Sex, Crows, Herons, Raccoons. Life is never dull in SW Florida
1. There was high drama just outside my lanai this afternoon (30th March 2012).
I am not sure if I was witnessing copulation or grievous bodily harm. What I saw was one crow who was pinning another crow to the ground.
Was the dominant crow a male and the submissive a female? Were they ensuring the evolution of their species?
Or were they two males in a fight for dominance: their part of the survival of the fittest?
I’ll never know, for neither of the crows spoke English, and I do not speak Crow.
What I do know is that within seconds a whole gang of crows came to witness this. They cawed with great energy and enthusiasm.
I came to the conclusion that these spectator crows were either like:
(a) The audience in a gladiatorial fights in ancient Rome or
(b) Dirty old men at a strip club
I am embarrassed to tell you that my junior cat Adelaide was enthralled by this performance. She watched every moment, she chattered with glee, and I know that she longed to be “let out” to mix it up with the crows. Adelaide is a voyeur cat!
2. Later in the day as I walked around the pond with Penne I heard the screeches of a Great Blue Heron. Believe it or not this massive heron was being harassed by two crows. Large as it was, the heron took refuge under a shrub. The crows flew away (probably to have sex in an undisclosed location!)
3. In that same mid-afternoon walk, as Penne and I rounded a bend I was momentarily startled. There before us was a Racoon. This was not good. Racoons are nocturnal animals. The ones who venture out in daylight are often rabid.
I “jumped”, Penne strained at her leash, the Racoon ran away and climbed a nearby tree.
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I found all this to be much more exciting than “Reality T.V.”
Maybe I am too easily amused!
I am not sure if I was witnessing copulation or grievous bodily harm. What I saw was one crow who was pinning another crow to the ground.
Was the dominant crow a male and the submissive a female? Were they ensuring the evolution of their species?
Or were they two males in a fight for dominance: their part of the survival of the fittest?
I’ll never know, for neither of the crows spoke English, and I do not speak Crow.
What I do know is that within seconds a whole gang of crows came to witness this. They cawed with great energy and enthusiasm.
I came to the conclusion that these spectator crows were either like:
(a) The audience in a gladiatorial fights in ancient Rome or
(b) Dirty old men at a strip club
I am embarrassed to tell you that my junior cat Adelaide was enthralled by this performance. She watched every moment, she chattered with glee, and I know that she longed to be “let out” to mix it up with the crows. Adelaide is a voyeur cat!
2. Later in the day as I walked around the pond with Penne I heard the screeches of a Great Blue Heron. Believe it or not this massive heron was being harassed by two crows. Large as it was, the heron took refuge under a shrub. The crows flew away (probably to have sex in an undisclosed location!)
3. In that same mid-afternoon walk, as Penne and I rounded a bend I was momentarily startled. There before us was a Racoon. This was not good. Racoons are nocturnal animals. The ones who venture out in daylight are often rabid.
I “jumped”, Penne strained at her leash, the Racoon ran away and climbed a nearby tree.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I found all this to be much more exciting than “Reality T.V.”
Maybe I am too easily amused!
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