To be scared that I’m still marked by the crows?

[ChoccyOrangeYum]

A couple of years ago I walked the dog on a local field. I know nothing about birds but I was later told it was their breeding season.

Anyway we must have got too close to their nests as they suddenly started flying around irrationally, making a hell of a racket screaming etc and then started dive bombing the dog. The dog thought this was fun so started chasing the crows. All hell broke loose basically and we were suddenly surrounded by crows going mental. We made a quick exit!!

I left it a few days then took the dog back on the field but after speaking to locals about the crows I stayed away from the back of the field (where they’re breeding) and kept dog in lead. As soon as we stepped on the field the noise started up again and the crows appeared and started dive bombing again! There was someone else on the field with a dog who the crows were totally ignoring!

We left and after a bit of research I found that crows remember faces and don’t forgive easily 😬 so we didn’t go back on.

A whole year later we went back on assuming the old crows won’t be there anymore but we were on there 5 minutes before it all started again. These birds are not bothering anyone else on the field, just me!!

Anyway my neighbour has suggested we go for a walk in the field tomorrow morning but I’m shit scared of the birds. Will they still go for me if I don’t have the dog?! Will they ever move on from the incident 2 years ago or am I banned from the field for life?!

Still no OP ....

I’ve put out fatballs this morning. We have jackdaws rather than crows, but I’m not risking anything. My cat is quite elderly.

Hope OP is ok! Following for update!

The crows have exacted their revenge.

Last night I watched The Birds. First half anyway, will watch the rest tonight. I realised it was many years since I saw it.

Yes a slow start but once the birds started their attacks , really terrifying to imagine it happening. My nervousness around birds could be linked to watching that film when I was very young. Not sure. 😐

That's what I'm thinking...... it's been two days

Yep, she's definitely crowk-ed it!
I was just reading about them and they're thought to circle in large numbers above sites where people are expected to die soon.
And to gather and collectively decide the fate of another crow. They will also defend unrelated crows.
A murder of crows indeed.

It is un-Brie-liveable the lengths people will go to please the Crow-ver lords.

😂😩

Hope you are ok OP! Oddly invested and want to hear how forgiving the crows are.

You don't want to mess with crows. They are cunning, considered one of the most intelligent bird species. Read The Genius of Birds, its a fascinating book, a lot of focus on the crow species there. Then there is Daphne Du Maurier and Alfred Hitchcock, they got the measure of these little feathered thugs.

@ChoccyOrangeYum If you must go out, don't whatever you do, go out without cheese (and some Terry's or Cadbury's version of your username to soothe your poor nerves).

Hope you're ok, its good that Ocado can deliver groceries until the bastard corvids have gone.

@Trickedbyadoughnut - yep!

Re how to apologise to crows— I have some experience of this—not exactly apologising in my case but I tried negotiating with them when they kept destroying our young plants (but not eating them!). It did work.

You go to speak to them when they are gathered, be still and wait quietly and calmly with your polite attention on them. If all goes well, one will come forward and make eye contact. She or he is the crow ambassador.

Send him or her mental pictures of what you want to say. If it helps, speak out loud but slowly and always accompany your speech with mental pictures. So for example, in the OP’s case, she should recall the image of dog chasing the crows and quickly follow with an image of her expressing shame and apology. Then tell them that to make amends you will bring them gifts of cheese (or I used dried dog food) for x number of days and maybe occasionally afterwards. But only promise what you will precisely deliver and on no account break your promise. Send them a picture of you walking your dog only on lead and distant from their trees.

If you want to confirm that they understand and accept the deal, ask them to bring a small gift to a defined place, eg bird table or patio. Examples of gifts brought by crows are drinks can ring pulls, hair bobbles and small shiny metal objects. I can’t promise they will oblige in this case but it’s an interesting experiment.

As a general principle if you take something away from wild animals (in my case, the plants they liked to pull up), you have to give something back, hence my gift of dog food.

I’m aware of how nuts this sounds but it did work in my case and I’ve read similar stories from others. I only thought to try it after going on a course where some of the teachers were animal/wildlife communicators.

Yes I did this yesterday. I'm desperate for an update!

OP will leave it until page 40 and then say ’Crowwry for late update..’

What happened OP??

Part of me would kind of love to think that this semi telepathic crow summit is for real, but after OP duping us …

A PP suggested a crow in a hat and a raincoat somewhere upthread.

By coincidence, this is one of my favourite cartoons - and here we have a crow in a hat and a raincoat (his name is Ged, and he gets about)

https://www.gocomics.com/spirit-of-the-staircase/2024/01/03?ct=v&cti=1306039

Please update about crows!

OP can't, the crows clearly got her.

RIP Choccy.

No report yet.
Do we assume the worst?!

@VenusClapTrap .. tell me you are not the poster from a few years ago, who made a fat ball with the kiddos.. had it in fridge and husband ATE it???? If so, did you hide it well from him when you made it?

Think your dad might be my grandad 😂 another mad old bugger who has pet birds and foxes. It's actually quite lovely.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/2017083-He-has-eaten-a-fat-ball

Ha ha ha no not me. I do remember that thread though.