Today I had Corvids eating from my hand.

Leading a group of Mountaineers on a hike around Rampart Ridge in Mount
Rainier National Park I decided to get up-close and personal with Corvids.
At the view point on the ridge top, an inquisitive Gray Jay showed up in a
branch of a nearby tree, then another and another. The ghost colored birds
quietly appeared out of nowhere. In a matter of moments we had five or six
of these feathered fiends waiting patiently. Some of the people on my hike
didn't know about these birds and their reputation for boldness. I filled
my hand with dried peas and corn, held it out a short distance from my face
and the fun began. The birds gently landed on my hand taking a few bites
before flying off to close-by branches. Down and back they took turns each
time I held out my hand. The folks were amazed they'd eat from my hand.
One of the guys had to remind the amazed ones that the birds will often not
even wait for a hand-out. They'll steal the food just as YOU'RE about to
take a bite.

At Longmire we ate our lunches as a Stellar's Jay swooped around the
"perimeter", too shy to actually beg. Maybe there were too many of us. Two
years ago a friend and I had on land on our table and walk right up to where
we were eating. This time I think the bird was casing the joint to be the
first one in as soon as we left.

Overhead we heard Ravens "gronking" and before we headed for home a large
black "low flying aircraft" appeared in the sky. That was no crow! It was
a huge raven!

Oh, I know I committed a no-no by encouraging the Gray Jays, but sometimes
the need for a positive inter-species encounter overrules my otherwise
sensible self. I would NEVER do this with a large or small hairy critter!

Lydia Gaebe In Kent, WA USA
lgaebe at msn.com
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