I am calling

Carrion Crows are some of the most interesting birds to observe. I occasionally watch a man who walks across a local footbridge and who leaves a small crust of bread on the hand rail. The pair of crows across the river know that it’s him. They perhaps even know the time of day he’s going to be passing. They come across the water and take a diagonal route, never heading for the food directly. They get close and then make a swerve so they can grab the bread and make their escape in the right direction.

Carrion Crows get more remarkable the more you watch them. Their behaviour appears not just to be instinctive, and not just learned individually, but cultural. I particularly like this fluffy photo. If you click on it you can enlarge it and see the detail of the feathers.

Marvellous. We share the world with miraculous lifeforms.