-Stone the Crows !-
Ever
notice how crows have that magical power of observation and seem to be
able to diagnose illness from miles away, without ever getting close
enough to see the patient up front? They keep a respectful distance and
lurk like an undertaker in Paradise. They even look like one!All
dressed in black and very serious looking.I can remember having humped
my bluey through the heat of the day and decided it would be better on
my feet if I stopped and had a bit of a camp in the afternoon before
moving on in the cooler evening. I had not dropped off for long, or so
it seemed, when I was awakened by the flapping of wings in my face by a
crow. It seems he wasn't quite sure whether I had "carked it" or not.
Either that, or if they are not game enough to approach that close,
they will sit above you in the tree and drop bits of bark or twigs onto
you to see if you move or twitch. Smart birds !.
Get thrown from
a horse and come to later and they will be sitting on the top rail
watching. I am sure one has taken bets on how long you will be out for.
Either that or they draw straws as to who gets the first "pick".
Develop a limp or contract a bad cold and start coughing while on your
own on the track and watch them follow at a discreet distance. They
have a wonderful communications system that would put any intelligence
agency to shame. You don't hear a sound until they are all there
waiting to feed.
I remember whittling a stick into a replica of
a rifle once. I waited until a few got enough courage to approach me
while I pretended to "die". I sat up and placed the "rifle" to my
sholder and they just pranced away with a screeching "caw". Try to use
a real shotgun or rifle and you wont see one for miles. Also watch what
happens when you run out of ammunition. They will sit and watch from 6
feet away.When they have diagnosed a terminal illness in a beast they
will ride around on that beast's back in order to get a ringside seat
for the main event.
Crows will eat humans. However, people
seldom return the compliment and eat them. I have known bushmen to eat
crow when they were hungry enough. It is said you cook it like you cook
a cockatoo or galah. Place a stone in the billy with the bird and when
the stone is soft, eat the bird! We appreciate that crows , buzzards,
eagles and hawks are part of the ecology. However, in spite of this, no
one likes crows. Even other crows!!!