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Show PAGE 25 THE ZEPHYR AUGUST 1993 to speak in their defense. There is much to say in their defense too. As omnivores, ravens depend upon a wide variety of animal food, supplemented by some plants. They are also scavengers, taking advantage of carrion when it's available (and keeping our highways dean, I might add). Ravens are believed to mate for life, which is more than a lot of us can say, and some raven watchers report that both parents incubate the eggs (the males must be the apple of raven feminists everywhere). Ravens will fiercely defend their nest against intruders, whether they be raptors or humans. I once read of an incident in Oregon where some nosy ornithologists attempted to examine an active nest. Both parents left the nest when the group approached the nest. But as they were climbing down, the ravens returned. One of the ravens picked up rocks in its beak and hurled them down at the fleeing birdwatchersannoyers. But to me, more than anything, these birds seem to have a refined sense of humor. Years ago, ravens built a nest on the cliffs above the Arches visitor center. When the young binds fledged the nest, they made a bee line for the front yard of the old rock houses then headquarters of the Canyonlands Natural History Association. All three fledglings and the parents congregated on the grassy lawn and awked and squawked and croaked the mornings away, much to the chagrin of the director of CNHA, Eleanor Inskip. Eleanor was unable to concentrate with all that noise and, on several occasions, ran out the door and attempted to chase them away. But the ravens always came back and after two or three days of being harassed by Ms. Inskip, the ravens shit all over her car. There must have been five or six cars to choose from, but they picked hers. Realizing she'd been outwitted, she gave up and bought car plugs. And in 1983, when that despicable Secretary of the Interior, James Watt came to visit the park, all the dirty tricks that Earth Fosters! and other concocted, could not compare to the almost perfect aim of one raven named George. George was a shameless beggar who spent his days bumming food off tourists and whatever the park maintenance man. Rocky Newell, cared to give him. I used to tell Rocky not to feed all that Wonder bread to George, but Rocky just laughed. "James, my boy, George doesn't take 'no' for an answer," he explained. "It's better to stay on George's good side." I don't know what Watt did to violate that piece of advice, but as the Secretary walked across the Windows parking lot to his car after an exhausting 100 yard hike, Jim found himself a slowly moving target. With a great flapping of wings, George took to the air, with a piece of greasy and decaying luncheon meat, and headed Man. At the appropriate moment, he released his straight for the chrome-dome- d It was a monumental effort by the Croat Black mark. his moldy morsel, and almost hit Bird, and what really matters is that he tried. Watt left the park shortly thereafter, never returned to Arches, and a year later, resigned (some say in disgrace) as Interior secretary. I firmly believe that George's symbolic attack was the catalyst the country needed, the statement that had to be made, to confront James Watt, once and for all. WHITE WATER ADVENTURE Full day trios AN half day trios PM half day Sunset trios Blazing Paddles Is for you. ne'er-do-wel- ls Today, as on any day, I can find a raven to watch. Whether they are performing aerial stunts, and going for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, or lazily flapping from one fin to the next, with their legs dangling freely beneath them, the fact that they are ignored and underrated by most bird watchers may bother me, but it doesn't bother them...they could care less. They're too cool to care. trios Do you suffer from "Borbcrphobia?" your hard-earn-ed money on therapy. COME IN ft SEE PETE honest Ozzies Cafe 3)esert Oasis & 60 N. 100 West 259-844- )e(i CELEBRATING 2 "FLAMINGO DAYS OF SUMMER" Were here to serve your every need.. Just don't ask us to move real fast. It's hot. |