wet crows

Atmospheric Crows

/ The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 4 Comments

The torrential rain we experienced on our little Sea to Sky vacation continued to pour down once we arrived home. Meteorologists now refer to these super-wet weather patterns as atmospheric rivers.

It felt, last week, as if I was spending about a third of my waking hours …

(a) getting the dog and me suitably dressed for rainswept walks (snorkels optional)

(b) peeling off layers of sodden rain gear, towel-drying the dog and my camera, and

(c) finding enough places to hang all the soaking items to dry, at least partially,  for the next expedition.

On the plus side, it was a great opportunity to capture some Atmospheric Crows.
There is just something about a wet crow …

Their reaction to the weather can give us small clues into their individual crow personalities. The well-soaked and rather indignant-looking bird above is Betty,  one of Bill’s fledglings from last year. She’s just getting used to the business of existing in range of a fire hose for several days in a row.

Bill in the rain

Below, looking relatively suave and sanguine in the same rain, is Dennis. A veteran of several winters, he seems to have developed a more philosophical attitude.

It seems to me that some crows are more prone to dishevelment than others. Dennis’s feathers are rarely disturbed by wind or rain. I’m not sure if this is due to sheer force of will or just lucky genetics.

There is often an even higher degree of judgment than normal in the looks that the crows give me on very wet days — as if they are considering whether I’m somehow to blame for the soggy state of the world.

I would like to speak to the management …

Somewhat alarmingly, the mild winter and early spring have the blossom trees a full month ahead of schedule. The plum trees, normally just starting to bloom now, are almost finished, and the cherry blossoms are fully out already.

Below is a crow out in two kinds of rain — some of it wet and falling from the sky, the rest, pink, and being washed out of the plum trees.

Young Lou, ever-resourceful, found a nice spot under a roof overhang to wait out the worst of the rain. An inspiration, as usual!

Below: just a few of the Atmospheric crow-inspired prints available in my shop.

Three prints in a row showing wet crows photographed by June Hunter. Right to left, Intensely wet crow in close up, side view of face, middle: Self Refection — crow and their reflection in a puddle, Right Crow Critic — indignant looking wet crow close up, facing cameral with sticking up feathers

 

 

© junehunterimages, 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to junehunterimages with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Some Wet Crows

/ The Urban Nature Enthusiast / 11 Comments

It was a  classic Vancouver winter walk this morning — penetratingly cold and damp. And only October!!!

Looks as if frigid weather is set to come early this year, with snow falling on local mountains, and the rain down here in the city seeming on the edge of sleet at times.

But — another one of my mother’s many handy sayings — “Every cloud has a silver lining.” In this case, the silver lining is made of soggy crows.

I imagine their looks are long suffering, but that could just be me projecting.

In any case, I always politely extend my commiserations as I walk by.

One of Mabel’s extended family

Marvin posing with a gourd in a neighbour’s garden

Wet Arthur

Golden maple crow, possibly Ada

Some of my favourite crow portraits have been really wet crows.

Judgemental Crows, below, captures the look that Marvin and Mabel often give me on rainy days. It seems to imply that the weather is purely the result of some bungling on my part.

In Philosopher Crow, Mavis embodies all that is stoic and thoughtful in a crow’s expression.

Another from this morning — one of Mabel’s offspring, humming the lyrics of  You’ll Never Walk Alone

You’ll Never Walk Alone

Lyrics by Rogers and Hammerstein
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of a storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone 
You’ll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Cue strings ….

While I may be imagining that the crows are suffering in the wet weather, I know for sure that Geordie, a California dog, can’t wait to get back in the dry.

Please can we go home now …?

While he loves snow, he really, really does not like rain, in spite of the stylish raincoat.

Back home and vying for fireside positioning with Edgar.

 

 

 

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© junehunterimages, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to junehunterimages with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.