Crows circle above Glen's SUV, loudly cawing as they escort him to the pond. A huge black cloud of them quickly join the excited group. They perch on his sun roof and the cars parked next to him.
One crazy crow, Mini-Cooper, sits on his side mirror crowing, demanding
breakfast.
For decades, Glen has driven to the pond to feed "his" birds healthy, organic seed. He knows that birds consuming well-meaning people's junk food and bread is deadly for the bird's and their babies.
"Last week something exceptional happened!" laughed Glen. "As routine, I left my two dogs in the car, lifted the hatch back gate, scooped seed out of the 2 ½ foot deep bucket, and tossed it to the water
fowl."
He then drove home, parked in the garage, put the dogs in the house and remembered he needed groceries. Back to the car he went and drove to the mall.
As soon as he turned the car off he heard an alarming swishing noise.
"I was confused. My radio was off," said Glenn.
Then he saw a freeloading Cooper "IN" his car! The large black bird had ridden, unseen,
in the fast lane home and then to the mall nestled down in the half empty bucket with his head happily buried in seed. He’d been joyfully stuffing his little feathery head! Cracked corn dust shrouded his head like a white hood!
Glen's dogs weren’t aware of Cooper be-caws he was quietly taking advantage of the situation eating "fast" food as they sped home.
Finally full, Cooper jumped up onto the vehicle's back
seat.
"I couldn’t let this stuffed bird fly free, miles as the crow flies, back to the pond," admitted Glen. "So, I drove him back. It was the craziest ride. He sat on the seat's rim, crowing to the radio's rhythm. It was as if he had been riding in cars his entire life, and he acted like I was his Uber driver!
At the pond, I opened the door, and he just sat there crowing at me. He was like my dogs! He loved car rides and did not
want to get out. Finally frustrated, I said, ‘Times up! Free ride is over!' He flew out and hopped up on the vehicle's roof cawing.
Usually, when I arrive at the pond Cooper hops on the SUV's roof forcing me to slow down. How does he know my vehicle? Hundreds of white SUV's visit the park.
On my drive out of the park, this crazy bird escorts me by sitting proudly, like a Jaguar ornament, on the car’s hood.
"People stare
and laugh," said Glen. "Cooper rides this way for ½ mile before returning to the pond, probably waiting for another sucker. Crows live to be 50 years old, so he is going to outlive me. I worry about that and on the days I can't go be-caws of illness. I feel guilty if he is waiting, watching and scanning all the white SUVs for his breakfast. I never thought that a bird would make me feel guilty - or ride in my vehicle!"
Alaskan Tips ‘n’ Tales reader Charlie adds,
“Crows recognize people’s faces and cars. There is another green RAV4 like mine here in town. Once, the flock of crows that I feed regularly freaked out the mechanic while he was test driving my car!”
