How to Keep Your Cool

July 3, 2015 / The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 2 Comments

As usual, the birds have the best idea. When the temperature soars, head for the water.

I’ve been employing my own “beat the heat” strategies, most notably, getting up at 4am to get all of my “active” duties out of the way by early afternoon. It’s just too hot to be in the studio after 2, but getting up very early means you can have a lot of things done and dusted by noon! Of course, it does mean going to bed around 8pm, so not so great for the social life …

When it’s really hot, I love to watch the birds having fun with water in the garden – in the birdbath, the sprinkler and now in my new “mister”, purchased this week. Note: the mister is also great for spraying on yourself!

Here’s a selection of some of the visitors to the garden “water park”.

Sometimes a moment in a bath is the only peaceful time you get to yourself all day …

And sometimes you just can’t get the place to yourself. Sigh.

Best to get your feet wet first before plunging right in.

This little chickadee was waxing quite operatic at the birdbath.

Singing at bath time is traditional!

This little golden crowned sparrow had a sticky bit of rhododendron bud stuck to his foot, so he hopped in the birdbath to rinse it off.

The birdbath gets some very elegant visitors.

… and some very handsome visitors!

... and some just very, very happy visitors!

… and some very splashy visitors!

And some visitors prefer the lawn sprinkler!

May everyone stay cool and happy this weekend. And remember to put some water out for the birds if it’s hot and dry where you are. If you don’t have a birdbath, a plastic plant pot tray with some water in it will do. Just change the water daily.

To see my collection of bird prints, visit my web site.

Crows enjoying the pools near the Royal Museum in Victoria. It was a very social and happy affair that went on for hours.

Here’s Hank

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 / The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 3 Comments

First there was Eric. Then there was Hank. Now there are Hank and Eric and Vera and Eric’s mate and some babies. That’s a lot of crows for a small area, but they seem to have worked out a way to keep things civil.

They key is that certain rules have to be adhered to. Eric and his family have the run of the front street and the large poplars at the end of the street.

Hank and Vera rule the back garden and the alley. They still seem to be tending to a nest in a big tree in the alley.

Hank is responsible for feeding Vera while she’s nesting.

Harmony exists as long as no-one forgets to cross the unseen borders. If they do – holy moly, there is trouble.

The other day Hank was on his usual perch on the neighbour’s roof when Eric came a-calling. After all, the back yard used to be Eric’s domain, so I can see how he might be confused. I was photographing Hank at the time, so I was able to catch the instantaneous transformation from relaxed, rather gormlessly sunbathing crow — to puffed-up (look how big and scary I am!) tough-guy crow.

On the left, Hank is in relaxed, sunbathing mode. One second later, sensing intruders into his space, he’s in tough crow mode.

I can easily tell the difference between Hank and Eric because Hank has a rather distinctive “over beak”. His top beak curves over the bottom slightly. They engaged in a few minutes of angry cawing and a touch of dive bombing action before Eric relinquished the territory to Hank.

Ruler of the backyard.

It’s lucky the trouble was short lived — because Hank really seems to enjoy just hanging about and soaking up the sun. Here he is later that day doing some more sun bathing on the studio roof. He likes to relax with his beak open and wings spread out. He’s a real West Coast, laid back kind of crow.

Wings spread, beak open – I think it’s like dogs panting, it must create some sort of cooling effect.

More wing spreading.

He probably does yoga when I’m not looking. Actually, I think I may have caught him a hula hoop practice in this picture.

Check out that hip action!

I am getting quite fond of Hank and he is getting less nervous around me, and therefore a more willing model for my photographs.

If you’d like to hear more about what goes on with the local crows on a daily basis, check in at my Facebook page.

I post lots of pictures there and keep you up on latest in the ongoing crow soap opera.

And if you’d like to see my collection of crow portraits for sale, check out my website.

Winsome

Look out – Crow!

May 19, 2015May 19, 2015 / The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 3 Comments

Dive bombing crows are in the news again.
A scary experience for pedestrians, but it may help to know why they do it.

Imagine this. You and your sleep-deprived spouse have just had triplets. A few days after they’re born they have the mobility capacity of toddlers — combined with the burning desire to see the world and the “I-can-do-it” attitude of teenagers!

They’ve got the keys to the car but have had no driving lessons.

They don’t know anything about “stranger danger”.

Is this food?

At the same time, they’re loudly demanding food and attention every moment of the day.

You’d be kind of wild-eyed too. You’d be prone to acts of desperate bravado to keep danger away, just until the kids get the hang of the flying business and the basics of urban survival.

Please may I have some more …?

If I just jump and keep flapping everything will be OK, right?

If you know there are worry-crazed parent crows in your neighbourhood, I hope you’ll try to forgive their seemingly aggressive behaviour. It will pass soon, once the kids are just a little older.

In the meantime, give them a wide berth — or use an umbrella for protection. Maybe soothe their frazzled nerves and offer a bribe by dropping a few peanuts.
Try to put yourself in their shoes/claws for a minute.

Crow Family Moment

www.junehunter.com

The Urban Nature Enthusiast

Crow and raven photographer, celebrating nature, usually in an urban setting

Photography

How to Keep Your Cool