We're still watching the crow-chipmunk interaction. Today, 2 of the yard crows went after the chippie. They were clearly working together. As the chipmunk moved around under the feeders gathering seeds, the 2 crows, by walking and hopping, kept the chippie between them. Finally, one crow appeared to station itself between the chippie and its escape hole in a grass tuft, the other sidled closer and closer until both crows were only inches from the chippie. Then one crow reached quickly down and grabbed the chippie by the scruff of the neck. The chippie twisted free, ran right under the crow, and made its escape. But this was too much for the wife, a rodent-lover, and she began yelling. So I had to open the window to scare the crows off. Ruined my day. The chippie soon returned and looks OK.
S. Fast Brooktondale _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Susan Fast Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2013 2:04 PM To: 'CAYUGABIRDS-L' Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Crow-chipmunk I've spent much of this morning watching red squirrel interactions in our yard; stuff I haven't seen before. Anyway, on to birds. We also have still one CHIPMUNK which has daily been filling its cheeks with seeds (yesterday it had a tail; today no tail, but that is a rodent-rodent interaction most likely). It was busy foraging when our 3 yard CROWS arrived and also started feeding on seeds. 2 of the crows soon flew off to the compost; the third remained and began sidling closer to the chipmunk. It got within 6", the chipmunk turned its back, and the crow reached down and grabbed it by the skin in the center of the back. Chipmunk twisted away and shot under a bush, the crow jumped back, then flew off. 5 minutes later, they were both back to the same spot under the feeders, about a foot apart, but this time the chipmunk watched the crow like a hawk and no interaction occurred. Several years ago, I watched a crow this close to a meadow vole (same size as chipmunk) and the crow hammered the vole twice with its beak and killed it. Why the difference? Steve Fast Brooktondale -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> The Mail Archive <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> Surfbirds <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/> ! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
