It was freezingly cold this morning. No songbirds to be heard, but there were some raven calls around 6 a.m.
I left the house at 7.55 a.m. The sun was just coming up, the sky was clear, and there was a thin sprinkling of snow on the ground everywhere.
Did I say it was very cold, well below freezing? It was ...!
No raven calls or ravens as I walked from the first field to the big field, but as I came to the spinney, there was one, in one of trees, calling. His companion then flew to one of the big sycamores to the left of the spinney.
As they were flying to the ground in the ravens field, following me, a lively spaniel turned up, rushing at them, chasing them, barking, ears flapping. So they retreated to the safety of the trees and only came to the ground once that dog had gone, and I was well on my way to the enclosure.
They were the young pair, showing all the behaviour I've seen previously.
There was one behaviour which I noticed today for the first time: when I look at one of these ravens, he starts wiping his beak, against the ground or against the post he's sitting on. Some sort of displacement behaviour, I believe.
Going back the 'more food' way, after these two had flown off to hide their food, the first ravens to turn up in the big field were my quarry pair. The were as skittish as always, and still kept their distance.
Then, the bold pair turned up. The bold one always is so keen to get all and any scraps! His companion always waits until he goes to hide his booty - and she seems to erect the feathers on her head when she is alone and other ravens are around.
Then a third pair appeared, from the toddlers' playground.
All got their scraps, until I had run out. There were no scuffles, but I noticed that one of the quarry pair seemed to have a tiny spot on his chest where he must have lost a few feathers.
They all stopped following me when Bas turned up, rushing up to me: what a lovely sight!
More freezing temperatures tomorrow, perhaps some snow, but some sunshine to start the morning with: the ravens won't mind, I'm sure!
1 comment:
Hi {Yma} - glad you made "the rounds" today, but if it's as cold there as it is in the South of the USA, if I were you, I might consider a walk to a warm coffee shop or someplace! It's now 26 and going down all day to 13 degrees, with snow, ice and all that comes with it (including perhaps downed power lines!).
But I was glad to read about Bas rushing up to see you! That must have been a sweet thing for you!
Stay warm,{Yma}!
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