| Home | Mystery Guest |
Feature
Article |
W.K.'s Journal |
Join the Club | About Us |
 SILVERSPOT The Story of a Crow by Earnest Thompson Seton |
||
Silverspot was simply a wise old crow; his name was given because of the silvery white spot that was like a nickel, stuck on his right side, between the eye and the bill, and it was owing to this spot that I was able to know him from the other crows, and put together the parts of his history that came to my knowledge.  Crows are, as you
must know, our most intelligent birds.—'Wise as an old crow' did not
become a saying without good reason. Crows know the value of
organization, and are as well drilled as soldiers—very much better than
some soldiers, in fact, for crows are always on duty, always at war,
and always dependent on each other for life and safety. Their leaders
not only are the oldest and wisest of the band, but also the strongest
and bravest, for they must be ready at any time with sheer force to put
down an upstart or a rebel. The rank and file are the youngsters and
the crows without special gifts. Old Silverspot was the leader of a large band of crows
that made their headquarters near Toronto, Canada, in Castle Frank,
which is a pine-clad hill on the northeast edge of the city. This band
numbered about two hundred, and for reasons that I never understood did
not increase. In mild winters they stayed along the Niagara River; in
cold winters they went much farther south.  But each year in the last week of February, Old Silverspot
would muster his followers and boldly cross the forty miles of open
water that lies between Toronto and Niagara; not, however, in a
straight line would he go, but always in a curve to the west, whereby
he kept in sight of the familiar landmark of Dundas Mountain, until the
pine-clad hill itself came in view. Each year he came with his troop,
and for about six weeks took up his abode on the hill. Each morning
thereafter the crows set out in three bands to forage. One band went
southeast to Ashbridge's Bay. One went north up the Don, and one, the
largest, went northwestward up the ravine. The last, Silverspot led in
person. Who led the others I never found out. On calm
mornings they flew high and straight away. But when it was windy the
band flew low, and followed the ravine for shelter. My windows
overlooked the ravine, and it was thus that in 1885 I first noticed
this old crow. I was a newcomer in the neighborhood, but an old
resident said to me,"That there old crow has been a-flying up and down
this ravine for more than twenty years." My chances to watch were in
the ravine, and Silverspot doggedly clinging to the old route, though
now it was edged with houses and spanned by bridges, became a very
familiar acquaintance. Twice each day in March and part of April, then
again in the late summer and the fall, he passed and repassed, and gave
me chances to see his movements, and hear his orders to his bands, and
so, little by little, opened my eyes to the fact that the crows, though
a little people, are of great wit, a race of birds with a language and
a social system that is wonderfully human in many of its chief points,
and in some is better carried out than our own. One windy day I stood on the high bridge across the
ravine, as the old crow, heading his long, straggling troop, came
flying down homeward. Half a mile away I could hear the contented
'All's well, come right along!' as we should say, or as he put it, and
as also his lieutenant echoed it at the rear of the band. They were
flying very low to be out of the wind, and would have to rise a little
to clear the bridge on which I was. Silverspot saw me standing there,
and as I was closely watching him he didn't like it... |
||
| Coming next: WHAT
SILVERSPOT DID |
Look closely at the birds that come to eat the winter food you put out for them. Can you find any distinguishing marks that might help you identify a particular bird? Take pictures of them to help you look closer, and then watch to see if the same one comes back next time.
Birds will be happy with any leftover crumbs and little pieces of food you want to toss up into the trees or out on the ground for them. If you do it at the same time every day, you'll be surprised how fast they will start waiting for you.
They can even tell the difference between you and someone else.
EXPEDITION TIP: Don't choose a spot too close to the house to feed the birds. Especially if you have cats or dogs that might want to catch them. Make sure the area is open enough for them to see all around and be safe. Birds rememember things for a long time, and if one of their family dies when eating your food, they will not trust you, again.
|
 |
|
||
 Wilderness
Kids
Club
is sponsored by the Wilderness School Institute, where they "take learning back to nature." |
||||