Bryan Gates wrote -

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>The next step has occurred. As I speak, a pair of ravens is nest-building on
>a covered ledge about 30 feet up on the old Victoria Public Library
>building, Yates at Blanshard in Victoria...the building in which I work.

About bloody time! Does this mean ye olde mellow Victoria is finally letting
down its hair and getting a little "wild"?

>This should prove to be a good test of public acceptance of urban wildlife.
>The nest is direcly above the entrance to Westcoast Savings (a bank)
>occupying the main floor. Some fairly heafty sticks are falling from the
>ledge as the male (?) brings them to the female (?) for "weaving". If
>hatching is eventually successful, you can imagine what else will be
>falling. And you can imagine the constant ruckus between the ravens and >the Northwestern Crows and Glaucous-winged Gulls, which also typically >nest in the general vicinity.

There is a pair of ravens that every other year or so try to set up a nest in
the supports of the main transmission tower atop the B.C. Telephone building
here in downtown Prince George. And invariably the "Company" tears it down
before they can get started. I doubt that the corporate bigwigs here are any
different than those in Victoria as far as maintaining the "safety and
security" of the surroundings - translation: Can we get sued by anyone if they
get hit with those big sticks?

I would recommend Bernd Heinrich's book "Ravens in Winter" for anyone
interested in learning more about ravens. They are truly much more than just a
bird.

- Jack


Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
CANADA
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca