This week started out with lots of activity. Bo was coming to my window all the time, walking right in like he owned the place.
He sure can smack his lips.
Bo also alerted me to a sickly and tailless raccoon just a few feet from my my window. I like to keep my window open, and if Bo hadn’t let me know the raccoon was there, it’s possible they would have come in and hurt my dog and cat. We look out for each other.
Bo even somehow got another crow to come to my window.
I’m not sure who this crow is, but he will collect food from the sill when the window is closed, and even took a peanut at light speed when I was sitting at my desk one day. Bo doesn’t seem to compete with this crow, since he’s not supposed to be here, either (my apartment is in Bo's parents’ territory).
Bo knows I have a cat, whom I have valiantly chased off for him once, but since he had come in a couple times when I was in the other room…
(here is the evidence)
...it’s possible she did something to scare him, because the next time he saw her, he got really upset. (Heads up, his scolding is REALLY LOUD in this video.)
I haven’t seen Bo back at the window since, but it’s only been a couple days. Between the cat and the raccoon and the fights he’s been getting in with his dad over trespassing, I think he just needs time. He’s been on high alert lately over predators, standing guard in high spaces.
Ugh, he's so cute when it's hot out!
Even Lorena has been standing guard.
There are a lot of cats in the area, but most of them are afraid of Bo.
But this one isn’t.
This cat isn’t even afraid of my dog, which makes me worry for the babies when they start leaving the nest. Fledgling crows aren’t able to fly or feed themselves for a couple weeks and spend most of their time hiding in bushes. I might have to pull a crazy crow lady and knock on some doors…
Crows are very emotional creatures, like people. Even though Bo yells fiercely at this cat...
I can still in his eyes that he is scared.
I think Lorena was also yelling at this cat this week. She is very afraid of cats, and won’t come down if she sees one, even if it’s the lazy, old one that does nothing but lay on the porch and lick himself.
Because Bo was spending so much time foraging for food for the babies, I got to spend a lot of time with Lorena this week. She’s still got some baby poop on her, but not as much as she did last week.
She looks so tired.
Bo had some baby poop on him, too.
Both of them have been itchy. Here’s Lorena in an awkward shot from behind, scratching herself and shaking it off:
And here’s Bo. This is quite possibly my favorite shot of him all week, or maybe ever.
Bo got some car time.
And an exorcism.
I brought a prettier water dish over because I thought it would look nice in the pictures. It did…
But Lorena didn’t like it.
When I switched back to the cheap plastic salad tub, Bo was stoked. I think the edges of the tub are easier to grip onto so he can properly dunk his face. His sublingual pouch is so full here. I wonder if he filled it with water for the babies?
By the way, did you know that crows drool?
One morning this week I was walking my dog when Bo came flying over and jumped on my head. A couple witnessed his affection for me. They were really excited about it. Bo was showing off (or jealous) and kept jumping on and off my head while I was talking to them. One of them was a photographer and took a portrait, which she said she should be able to send me next week. They were visiting from LA. Bo and I gave them the true Keep-Portland-Weird experience. Maybe we’ll get famous and I can buy a house smack dab in the middle of Bo’s territory and he and Lorena and the kids can have their own cat-free room.
That's what I call living the dream.
Thanks for reading. See you next week!
I hope you've enjoyed this post! If you'd like to learn more about my friendship with Bo, check out my blog An Unexpected Friendship.
I am passionate about crows and post obsessively about all that I learn from them. Follow me to learn along with me!