Diana Moore described a partially albino crow. I have three different ones in Monroe, one which almost 25% white. I suppose such things have existed for a long time, I just saw my first one last year.

When I read about the devastation of bird life in Illinois from West Nile I find myself thoroughly enjoying and appreciating crows, with the wistful thought that they might not be around in the future, or become quite rare.

Yesterday on a walk along the Burke Gilman trail out of Woodinville I stopped eye level with a crow in a old apple tree. I expected the crow to fly away, but it merely cocked its head to take my measure, then turned back to its business of cleaning its beak. I noticed then just above it, a large ripe apple which had several holes in the lower end. I had never seen crows eat apples before and was curious about it so I stood a long time admiring the crow as it preened.

A family with a young child came up, and the kid looked up and said, ick, a nasty ole crow.......I opened my mouth astonished, and before I could come to the defense of this most marvelous bird, the family had moved on. Perhaps someday crows will become rare and unusual, and then people will appreciate them for the clever beings that they are.

Rob Sandelin