Having chased off the two ravens....

...a turkey vulture suns atop our redwood tree.

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Some visitors mistake our ravens as crows. I explain the difference in beak, (roman nose shaped) throat (like a goiter), tail, (wedge shaped) size (big!) voice (deeper) and wings (longer).

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We see crows and other birds in flight chasing ravens, because they are faster at maneuvering due to their smaller size. Sometimes the red shinned hawks get chased by the ravens as do turkey vultures who just head higher in the up swells, or as in our yard in a tall tree.

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A raven gathering is not unlike a political convention.

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Once in a great while a group of from 20 -50 birds will gather in a circle up in our big trees to chatter; flapping and hopping and calling back and forth for up to an hour. At times they will sit still, quietly and attentively, listening to one guttural remark from one member then another. The ravens will pause in between comments as in a conversation. Then, often in a frenzy, they're up, off the branches and agitated, before they slowly settle again to listen again. An amazing sight.

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One ornithologist saw the pattern of gatherings as information exchange. Ravens in his study would hop about a new roadkill suspiciously for hours, even days before a brave soul would grab a quick taste. They were very careful before trusting that the food source was safe. They then would communicate to others about the find and soon the carcass was a favored gathering place.

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Ravens are clever, fascinating really, with their intelligent ways. We chuckle (as they do at times) at their antics, but it's really us humans, our own antics that we find funny. We are so like them.

Not unlike a political convention.