Crows are intelligent, long lived birds. They mate for life. This afternoon, at Old Moor’s Wath Ings, I witnessed some remarkable behaviour that shone a new light on those three simple facts.
A peregrine falcon had just emptied the main marsh of almost every bird and cleared the way for the crows. Two of them flew to a stretch of mud just below the hide. The larger of the two then made a short flight towards a shallow stretch of water, hovered a little and then fell downwards as if it was catching a fish.
It rose with a large, freshwater mussel in its beak which it took over to its partner. The larger crow then arranged the mussel so that its hinge was downwards on the mud. Its partner, slightly smaller, went to work at one end of the hinge, the larger bird at the other. Together they began to prise the mussel’s shells apart and, when the shells were barely open, the larger crow moved position so that it could apply more leverage.
The result was that, within a few minutes, the mussel was broken open and the meal was shared between both birds.
What was truly astonishing here was just how many intricate steps were involved in this process. But then living a long life gives these bright birds time to learn just how to do things and – well, as the old saying goes, two heads are better than one.
A clever crow!
Very early this morning, At Edderthorpe, John Clarkson reported: 670 greylag geese, one pintail, around 450 mallard, approximately sixty golden plover, eighteen dunlin, four ruff and a few redwing moving through. Thanks John!
The Early Birders at Old Moor recorded: nineteen little egret, five pintail, three goosander, 155 wigeon, seventy-six shoveler, one spotted redshank, three dunlin and an adult yellow-legged gull. A bit later they added one peregrine, five green sandpiper, one great black-backed gull, 146 lesser black-backed gull and upped the shoveler count to 111.
Over at Wombwell Ings the news was of four shelduck, seven ruff and one dunlin.
Altogether now – “Pfee-oooo!”
Back at Old Moor the rule of thumb to ‘never completely trust the Met Office’ was being proved once again. Far from being overcast all day, the reserve was bathed in beautiful autumnal sunshine!
In the Bird Garden, seen today were wren, male and female bullfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, sparrowhawk, pheasant, weasel, female great spotted woodpecker and – wait for it – a kestrel! Yes, our very our Nicola was surprised (to say the least) when a kestrel made a dive for a vole near a log pile in the Bird Garden. She was right to be surprised – I can't remember the last time we had a kestrel here!
Kingfisher were seen at the Toyota pond-dipping platform as well as in front of the Bittern Hide. Also seen near the Bittern Hide today was a stonechat.
That fantastic GSW from Nicola Stables. Thanks Nicola!
In the Tree Sparrow Farm today were bullfinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, long-tailed tit, dunnock, robin, tree sparrow, collared dove, woodpigeon, pheasant, a female kestrel, a female sparrowhawk and a male sparrowhawk. Red admiral could be seen flying here today.
On the Mere were five pintail (two female), 143 lesser black-backed gull, a great crested grebe, one snipe, linnet, lapwing, 111 shoveler, a little egret, four common gull, one great black-backed gull and a yellow-legged gull. There were also a great many wigeon, teal and tufted duck here today as well as eleven cormorant.
A peregrine hunting coot on the Mere today (it missed)
Wath Ings, thanks to that peregrine, was a bit ‘thin’ today but the spotted redshank was still there along with five green sandpiper, a buzzard and one little egret. Oh, and those clever, clever crows.
I’ll leave you tonight with a view of the male sparrowhawk waiting to ambush the smaller birds in the Tree Sparrow Farm. For over an hour he waited here until – when all the birds (and photographers) had become complacent – he flew to a bird feeder and, from beneath it, plucked a greenfinch from its perch!
Until next time
A very patient sparrowhawk