Another icy day. It was 28F/-02C when we left the house shortly before 8 a.m. There was no wind, so it didn't feel too perishing. Sun rise was in full swing, the streetlights were off, the sky showed beautiful pastel colours in rose and orange and gold.
We had heard some raven calls around 7 a.m., but they did sound far away. Because of the later time, there were many more dogs in the park. The ground was still frozen over with snow on ice and frozen snow melt on top, so walking was very treacherous.
Madame enjoyed being out a bit more today, so we made it to just this side of the spinney.
No raven calls at first, but as we approached the top of the big field, one flew to sit on the big tree inside the spinney, and then the other came to fly into the branch of the tree closer to the footpath.
This was my young pair. I gave them some scraps and then went straight back into the big field, not wanting to overtax Madame. They followed us, in spite of Toby coming to greet us, and in spite of me standing and talking to Toby's owner. Toby is, of course, a Border Collie ...!
The young pair got some more scraps - and then they called. Now the other young pair came flying down, from the side of the old quarries.
As I threw some more scraps to them, the two pairs had a short, squawky scuffle.
Both pairs kept a good distance, about ten yards.
Interestingly, immediately after they settled down after their scrapping, one each of the pairs fluffed up, squawked, and assumed the juvenile position, begging to be fed. Then they all, individually, picked up the scraps I threw - and we left them, Madame starting to look a bit unhappy.
Its still going to be like an ice skating rink tomorrow, according to the weather forecast. We'll be out at about the same time - ice and darkness are not a good combination: if I can't avoid a slip and fall, at least I want to see where I'm falling!
Roland Keller from Switzerland, a reader of this blog, sent me this story by e-mail:
'do you know the story of St. Meinrad an eremit and founder of the famous Einsiedeln monastery/switzerland who had 3 raven to protect him. Once a day two criminals went as guests and killed him in his chapel. Afterwards the raven followed the criminals until Zurich where they were arrested and executed because of the raven apperance.
This is a true story, not a legend. The two criminals were hanged in Zurich, where the 3 ravens were known.'
I like it - the ravens as avengers!
