Crows Can Be Vicious!

  After a sleepless night with an ailing dog, the morning should have been spent resting.  I would have given anything for an uneventful start to the day but that was not to be.  As is my habit, I opened the windows in the kitchen so I could enjoy my first mug of coffee while listening to the birds awakening.  They always sound so happy to see the sunrise and it brightens my day hearing them.  This morning, however, I did not hear the cheerful chirping.  Instead, there was quite the ruckus going on near the plum tree.  Crows were everywhere and they were not playing nicely.  There was nothing else to do but go out and investigate the cause of their turmoil.  Crows can get into the most trouble of any critters on the Bayou.

  After easing my way out the front door and around the side of the house, I watched as a crow made a dive down to the ground.  It was just about to launch an attack on a poor hapless critter.  Thinking this may be another baby bird being ruthlessly mauled, I quickened my step.  The crow flew to a nearby pine where it started to scold me relentlessly.  

  Nope.  It was not a baby bird this time.  The tiny rat snake that had been feasting upon the tree frogs a few weeks back, had made its way to the ground and was trying to cross a small patch of lawn.  The crows were hoping to make a meal out of this little one. Even though Son frowns on me interfering with nature,  I was not going to let that happen.  Rat snakes are good to have about the place so I had to do a quick rescue.  It was then, that a few more crows joined the pack.  My little friend was not going to make it without my help.  So....I reached down, scooped him up and toted him to a shady spot under the orange tree.  There, the snake and I sat bonding for a good fifteen minutes.  Finally the murderous crows left to stir up some trouble elsewhere.  My little buddy was released near a hollow log and I was able to go finish my mug of (now cold and stale) coffee.  Oh, the things I do.