12/08/2026
It's been over 3 weeks since we've seen Sheryl, Vel or their fledgling. There could be several reasons for this.
What gives me hope that we'll see them again is that it's not uncommon for crows to take their fledglings to different areas in late summer so that they may learn to fly and forage on their own. Timing wise, it all adds up. Or, they may have moved on for the next season or so, and we may see them again next year. Maybe not.
I can take away several positives from this project - first being my skill in photography improved greatly in a very short period of time. I could photograph these birds, see what worked and didn't work and make adjustments almost every day. I am very happy about that.
Beyond that, my wife and I had some very enjoyable experiences, starting from seeing them on our back deck for the first time, to having them literally eat out of our hands. It was amazing.
They're so intelligent - they trained us pretty well, too. Having the ability to call them down, almost on command, is something we won't soon forget. At one point, Sheryl came down and just sat with us for about 20 minutes. We just hung out, and it was great.
I'm not rushing into trying this experiment again with the American Crows in our neighborhood. The Fish crows we befriended were quieter, and more relaxed. They knew they had a private buffet, and I'm not looking to add to that right now.
What I will do now is appreciate this experience, and hope to see them again.
I have dozens of photos I'd still like to share - but I suppose what is fitting is the image above is one of the last I took of them.
Thanks to all of you who followed along. We're looking forward to seeing how Chapter 2 shapes up.
