Day Nine: Turning Tides

Wow! All I can say is, what a morning! My persistence has paid off considerably - after days of thinking my peanuts have been going to waste (although honestly, feeding any animals in this bitter cold shouldn't be considered a waste - we're all just getting by), finally, progress! 

I got to the living room window around 9:00 am and noticed my peanut pile from yesterday was still there, figuring it'd be another quiet day. Somewhere between then and 10:15 or so, though, the peanuts were ravaged! (I wasn't able to tell what devoured them because I was preoccupied with a cat on my lap.) My initial thought was squirrels, as I've been seeing them at neighboring houses, but I decided to go out and replenish the peanuts anyway, in case any area birds were in the vicinity. I whistled as I dropped them down (as I have been doing) and went back inside. Not long after, I happened to glance out the window in passing and lo, a big beautiful crow was hunched over on the walkway, helping himself to the peanuts!

I was surprised because, seeing the way the previous shells had been torn apart, I had suspected squirrels had been breaking them open with their teeth. Having retreated to the other room to spy on the crow between the blinds, however, I could see the way it was breaking the shell apart with its beak and eating the nuts that spilled out. The picture doesn't do justice how lovely a bird it was - deep black feathers that had a purplish sheen in the sunlight, and big! I could hear a chorus of caws as I continued watching; other crows weren't far, and they were speculating. Were these crows from the evergreens on the adjacent street? I could only wonder.

Eventually the crow flew off and I figured that was it. Seeing the pile of discarded shells, though, I couldn't help going back out and putting down more. I had momentum! This was my chance, while I had an audience (who knew how long it would be before they would return). I went out after a pause and dropped more peanuts, whistling that familiar two-beat whistle (all the while hearing a similar "caw caw" echoing in the distance). I didn't want to linger near the window in fear of scaring them off, so I waited a few minutes and went back to my "viewing spot" in the next room.

Four crows this time! I was ecstatic! All of them tapping along on the walkway, feasting on peanuts, walking along the lawn, occasionally burying their beaks in the dead grass. They lingered for quite a long time too; while three eventually left, wings beating against the cold air, one did stay to pick over the shell pile. It was such a sight to see after days of stillness! And no warmer than it has been, honestly...I wonder if they've been watching me from some unseen perch? The prospect of gaining their trust and seeing them more frequently has me so excited! I'm looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!