Subject: [Tweeters] Crow Catches a Mole at UW Seattle
Date: May 5 13:09:24 2009
From: Joe Meredith - joemmoby at u.washington.edu


Hi Tweets,

Yesterday morning (May 4th), as I was walking across the UW campus to my
office I learned why we don't see moles and similar rodents above ground
very often.

As I neared the quad just southeast of Drumheller Fountain a crow landed
about 20 feet from me and began stabbing the ground with its bill. I
couldn't see what the target of the attacks was, but could hear some
squealing. I took a couple of steps closer and saw that the crow was
attacking a mole, which appeared to have just crawled out of its tunnel for
a look at the sun & blue sky. At this point my "nature observer" persona
took a backseat and I rushed toward the crow to try to save the little
rodent. The corvid picked up the mole before I could take three steps
toward it and flew off...perhaps to a nest? Needless to say, it was quite a
shocking start to the day!

Good birding,
~Joe Meredith
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