Watching the crows feeding on the lawn this morning and trying to decide
whether one was a juvenile or not, I noticed that one has a significant bald
patch on it's head. The patch is about the size of a silver dollar covering
from just above the beak to the back of the head. It looks well healed and
a bit scaly around the edges. Also one of its legs is missing feathers
about half-way up the 'thigh', making it look like an old guy with his pants
hitched up. It's feeding well with other crows and doesn't look distressed
at all. It's a mature crow, maybe the 'old crow' we've all heard about.

Unfortunately Mr. and Mrs. Starling have four kids, all of whom were
screaming to be fed on the deck this morning. They are the one bird that I
will chase off the deck where the feeders are. Also chased off the deck
this morning was a large raccoon which ducked under the deck. As I stamped
on the deck to drive it off it bolted across the lawn just behind the
neighbors cat that was also hiding under the deck. It was hilarious to see
the cat vs raccoon race as they bolted north. The cat won.

Plenty of other little ones about now; baby towhees, song sparrows, and
red-breasted nuthatches are all vying to be the noisiest in the yard. At
least the offspring of the tiger swallowtail butterfly I watched laying eggs
on a willow the other day won't be too noisy.

Have a very birdy day....

Mary Hrudkaj
Belfair