Quoth the Raven...

July 2, 2007

(note - this is a continuation of the previous entry)

In years past I used to give "interpretive talks" and presentations about nature and regional history. I can still recall expounding on about the synchronicity and harmony of the natural world. Over time my expressions of this 'harmony' became more reserved as I witnessed more of the inconsistency and tragedy - sometimes sheer brutality - of what I'd started to see in the "natural world".

Yesterday I noticed that the phoebes I'd mentioned earlier were giving "flight training" to the young they'd moved from the nest that morning in a partly constructed building on the property. Looking back, I can see where the parents probably abandoned the nest a day or two early because of the snake encounter. At the end of the day yesterday I noticed one of the chicks sitting on the ground at the corner of this building. Though the parents would occasionally come to it and give it some encouragement, it just didn't seem to have the will or means to pick up and fly to shelter for the dark hours. Once darkness fell I went over and collected the chick and placed it in the building off the ground in a somewhat secure place. The building has a roof and full walls, but no doors or windows installed yet - so the parents, and any other critter, can come in and out of there at will. I knew there was a good chance the parents would find it the next day if it came to no harm through the evening.

This morning I came out when some workers arrived at the unfinished building. There was no chick on the table, but one of the workers asked me right away if I'd seen "that bird". Sure enough, the chick has managed to flutter off the table I'd placed it on and was a dozen feet away on the ground. I collected the chick again and moved it over to a part of the building away from where the work was going on and asked the workers to avoid that area for the day. Sure enough, within a couple hours both parents were moving in and out and tending the chick, encouraging it and giving it food. Still though - the chick wasn't showing any efforts to fly, but I'd hoped that by the end of the day it might just get up to speed.

Then, when I was outside in the mid-afternoon, I noticed a raven settle in a tree near the corner of the building where the chick was. I decided to walk over and shoo the raven away. While headed that way I could see one of the phoebe parents flying high circles and calling more emphatically than usual, and the other parent was on the windowsill nearest to the chick - also calling out loudly. I walked in a side door just in time to see the raven pick up the chick and fly out the nearest window.

A final note... A few weeks ago I'd noticed that a raven that was getting harrassed righteously by the phoebes - to the point where I wondered if the phoebes might actually have it foxed and were wearing it down. Every time it would fly the phoebes would dive bomb and pester it, and when it would perch the phoebes would continue to torment it. Even when the raven would try to fly and gain speed and altitude to escape, the phoebes would keep it from making any distance. The phoebes usually keep to a fairly small territory here, but they'd fly as far as a 1/4 mile pestering that raven. At a point later in the day I noticed that raven wasn't even trying to fly off anymore but was just hopping along on the ground trying to keep away from the phoebes and he was looking pretty discouraged and overheated.

I know that many birds don't like ravens, so I wasn't particularly surprised by this, but I wondered if they could actually kill the raven just by pestering it away from food, water, and shelter. After seeing that raven snatch that chick today I suspect I understand more of the animosity the phoebes harbor toward ravens.

 

 

 

What's this "Plug Nickel Outfit"?

Well - a "plug nickel" indicates something that is of little to no value, often implying a counterfeit. The word "outfit" hails from earlier times in the western US when a ranch or its wranglers would be referred to as an outfit - as in 'The Hash Knife Outfit' by Zane Grey.

The Plug Nickel Outfit (which I've been carrying in my back pocket for a couple of decades now!) is currently headquartered (falling out and hanging 'round - more likely!) in Southeastern Arizona in the San Pedro River valley. I've already taken some license in describing these scrivenings as something between Walden and High Chaparral - High Chaparral was filmed and located to the west of here and at a lower elevation. In the series one could see Saguaro cacti in many of the outdoor shots which don't naturally occur around here as the winters are too cold. Technically we're located in a transition area between the Sonoran and the Chihuahuan deserts. The elevation here is about 4400' - and we're on the flanks of one of a handful of Sky Islands in this area. Topics covered here will primarily be the plant and animal life of this region, and side issues such as weather and history - but hopefully not limited entirely to these.

Feel free to visit the home page for current tales, the archives, or a listing of links to other websites that may be of interest. If you have questions, suggestions, or just want to rattle our chain - send the Outfit an email!

 

 
 
 
  Help support the Outfit - consider these recommended products from Amazon: