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Friday, 15 August 2008
Crows at the Book Festival
Today I went to a Book Festival event about crows. Short story writer, Esther Woolfson read from her new book Corvus (you can read an extract here) describing how she had rescued a fledgling magpie from a cat and had wondered when it would be strong enough to be released into the wild - when it startwed talking she knew she had to keep it! Nature writer Mark Cocker read from Crow Country talking largely about the huge rookery near his home. There was then a lively discussion about why crows are disliked by many people and why in fact we should value them - for features such as their intelligence and personality. It was a fascinating event and confirmed my opinion that crows are fascinating birds!
I enjoy watching crows too and was totally amazed at their intelligence and also their playfulness. They also have a team spirit sometimes much stronger than humans. Crows make for an interesting study.
ReplyDeleteI've had that Mark Crocker book on a wishlist for a while. I really like crows, always have done, although I'm not that sure of the identification between them and rooks and such. Perhaps people are apprehensive because they are so dark, they are so incredibly black, almost inky. I notice other birds arent too keen on them either. Poor things, outcast by everyone.
ReplyDeletei'm quite fond of crows and magpies... they are certainly intelligent inquisitive birds.
ReplyDeletei've read the excerpt and it looks quie captivating.
Our civic bird here in Prescott is another member of the corvus family -- the raven. Every dumpster in town is owned by a raven, there's a raven nest in a corner niche high up at our county court house, and our neighborhood has its own collection of the birds. They are individualists, not flocking except when adolescent.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, crow lovers all over the world. Can I add my admiration for the curious crow. When he looks at me out of one eye I can hear his brain ticking over but I never know what he is thinking because I imagine he is smarter than I. And such a beautiful bird too,
ReplyDeleteI read the Mark Crocker book earlier this year - and have returned to it several times since. I'm an avid corvid watcher now!
ReplyDeleteI've had some crows nesting in some trees across the street from me this summer. It's been really interesting watching them with the neighborhood cats. I'll have to keep an eye out for these books. They sound good.
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