Benoit is back!!!!

Photo of Benoit after an overnight stay away from the family unit

Hey Susi, Benoit is back !!!!! When I came home this arvo, but Baba is still gone, and Benoit is looking rather lacking in feathers on the neck.

I maybe have worked out what happened.  After I did the special posting and collage, the day before yesterday ,  I went outside, and Benoit was really really excited. A lot of complex Crow talking  and wing flapping, like there was something exciting happening. Well, all last night, I kept seeing Benoit in my mind, and this morning woke to a dream where Benoit was telling me that about an arranged visit with the "big" birds. So, I think what happened was Benoit DID go to stay with relatives for the night - like a "sleep over for a whole day and a half, and THAT was what the darling little Crow was trying to tell me the other afternoon. That a sleepover was happening,  since Benoit was a "big bird" now, and could spend a night away from the family.  

The Mom and Dad Crows  really missed having Benoit and Baba about. Baba, although maybe not as bright as Benoit, is older, and he is still away. I think that he is ok - I hope so. Anyway, I am so so happy that Benoit is ok, if a bit worn out looking. I guess the "big bird" relatives probably gave Benoit a bit of a "right of Passage". And I'm not even sure if Benoit is a boy or girl. Anyways, Benoit - was happy to see me, and flew staight down to greet me when I just came home. Looking a bit worse for wear, and rather subdued, but ok!!!! 

And now I understand why the Mom and Dad were calling out so loudly all day yesterday - they were calling to the children who had gone on the "sleepover" far away with the other Crows. 

I have decided that I love and respect  crows more than ever now!!!!!

This has been one of the biggest learning curves in my life - learning that loving wild creatures means I must "let go" and be cool and detatched like the birds are!

Benoit Mandelbrot - a very smart crow

Benoit Mandelbrot

Benoit Mandelbrot has been flying since late October, 2008. He is the middle sibling of three children born to two Crows that live next door to me in Burringbar, in the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW, Australia. The family is a tight knit unit. The Father Crow has done much hard work to raise his children, with his Wife, and soon the children will be independent. 

All three children of the Crows still have their baby voices, although sometimes Benoit and the older sibling Baba O'Riley can make some pretty convincing adult sounds. Over the December and January months, the children have vastly expanded their vocals, and eating skills. All three children have counted coup with the children of other birds in the neighbourhood - Kookaburras, Currawongs and Hawks. They do not fight with Magpies, although I notice that, when very young, the Crow children would "stalk" the adult Magpies. This was tolerated very kindly, by the "stalked" adult.

As told earlier in this blog, Baba was the first of the babys to fly up very high with a Sea Eagle.

At other times, the Crow children have flown, with their parents (particularly their Father) to chase adult Wedge Tail Eagles, Sparrow Hawks, Grey and Brown Goshawks and Kookaburras, but usually it is the Father Crow that continues the chase, and the Crow children retreat to safe arbours while he fights, chases and counts coup.

When the children first flew from their nest in the Crows Ash Tree, I couldn't distinguish between them easily. However, even when they were in their nest, I felt that there was often a little pair of eyes watching me, and had an intuitive feeling that one of the Crow children would become my friend.

From almost their first flight, there was always one little Crow that would give me an extra long gaze, focus into my eyes, and try to talk with me. Now, as I have learnt to distinguish the Crow children more, I can see Benoit, even in the air, or high up in a tree, by mannerisms and voice. Benoit even comes when I call.

 "Benoit! Benoit" I call, and Benoit comes flying down to me, and has a little talk. Swooping over my head landing only inches from me, but will not land on my hand. I have fed these babies, and their parents, after the Father Crow had a serious wing injury,and so, I guess that it is not unusual for them to come to me. Their parents, however, are quite distrustful of closeness to people, and prefer to stay at a distance. I put out clean water for them daily, which they love to drink, bathe and soak their food in.

Benoit's Father has sometimes come to me, asking if I will help chase a goanna. He was prone to do this when the Children were still in the nest. But that is another story.....

Meanwhile, back to Benoit, the smart little Crow.  Although second to leave the nest, Benoit has shown much intelligence, and is often the first to respond to the parent Crows' calls, a situation or opportunity. Benoit will often come down to me and just sit and talk with me. Looking into Benoit's eyes is like discovering another universe. The beauty, wildness, intelligence and sensitivity astound and amaze me. My respect for Crows has increased a thousandfold, since getting to know this family. It is funny, even as I write this article, Benoit is up in the "birth" tree practicing the "alarm" call, and play fighting with the elder Crow, Baba.  About a week ago, when Benoit came up to me, talking many different crow words, I repeatedly said "hello, hello". Then, to my astonishment, Benoit said "hello" back to me. TWICE!!!! What a smart little fellow Benoit Mandelbrot is.

One of my favourite pastimes is to sit in the evening warmth, and watch the first stars appear, with the children of the Crows all sitting nearby. This is a peaceful event, quite often.... but not when the Hawks arrive with their children, to inspect the old crow's nest in the birthing tree and attack the children of the Crows! No, on those evenings, everyone is alert, and when it becomes too much, the father Crow will take the children and his wife off to the nearby family of Crows that live a kilometre or so away, and spend the evening there! I don't blame him. The Hawks are fierce, relentless and can severely injure a baby Crow. But, somehow, I feel that Benoit will survive Crow childhood and grow into a very wise old Crow.

Benoit Mandelbrot is indeed a very smart and brave Crow. 

Photo: Benoit Mandelbrot having one of his first flights in early November 2008

ME

I am the crow that calls out the law

I am the eagle whose wings ever soar

I am the earthworm, humble unseen

I am a miracle in god’s greatest dream.

Baba's first big flight.

"Valley of the Crows", Burringbar, Mt Warning Caldera Region, NE NSW, Australia

In the 9 weeks since the children of the Crows have had their fledgling flights, from their birth tree to the neighbouring Eucalypt, I have watched them venture further and further away.

They have more recently, at about two months out of their nest, taken long flights away to the major gathering of Crows (murder) down in the valley some miles away.

I have now seen the Crow children fly with their parents, high on the thermals, chasing Sea Eagles, Wedgetail Eagles and Hawks. This has proven to be rather dangerous, at times. 

When the children were very young, they also "play fought" and counted coup with Magpies and baby Kookaburras, while their parents watched on. 

During the first week out of the nest, the eldest Crow child, Baba,  had flown with it's father, high into the sky thermals, chasing after a Sea Eagle. 

On this day, sky was cloudy, and rather windy.  As the Sea Eagle passed their nesting trees, the father Crow swooped into the thermal, below the ascending Eagle, feigning attack. He was staying slightly away from the eagle, while the little baby Crow (who I believe was Baba, the eldest baby) flew much higher and further away from them, watching from above. 

Suddenly, the thermal took the baby Crow even further into the sky, with the Sea Eagle following skillfully, closing in on the baby. In the blink of an eye, both were far away from the father Crow, who instead of taking the air up, returned to their Eucalypt tree, and waited. 

Far above us, the baby Crow soared, higher and higher. The big Sea Eagle, over twice the baby's size, was in pursuit, occasionally flying to attack him. 

The father Crow waited in the Eucalypt below. The other two children and their mother were nearby, in their nesting tree, the Crow's Ash. The family waited.

The baby Crow was now circling far away to the north, with the Sea Eagle. They were approaching the clouds.   In a flash, the baby Crow veered suddenly into a fluffy grey cloud.

The Sea Eagle dodged quickly into the edge of the cloud too, after the baby Crow, then came out. After making another pass into the cloud, the Sea Eagle then kept circling slowly higher back into the blue sky, alone. Meanwhile the baby Crow had completely dissappeared. 

It was half an hour, before Baba, the baby Crow appeared again, and the family was all together, on the power lines outside, above the road. I thought to myself - baby Crows, are indeed amazing flyers, and very courageous!

The Crow Family (mother to the left, father to the right, children in the middle)

Children of the Crows

Jeckle (father), Benoit, Baba and Lucy on the 1st of December, 2008. The Children of the Crows have been flying out of their nest for about 6 weeks at this stage, and they already have  had many adventures.