Crow

From the beginning of the time when Great Spirit transformed Crow
from the form of a two-legged, to the shape he now wears,
Crow has dwelled simultaneously in Two Worlds,
one of the earth & the other of the sky.

He is the Watcher that has observed we of the Two-Legged
as we walk along the Red Road of Physical Life.
He stands, ever vigilant, at the Gateway between shadow and light,
watching for the Soul that is beginning to Unfold, and then,
with a beckoning call, black wings touch our face,
and we Journey with him, flying from
the Night of denial, and awakening
with acknowledgments Day.
Carrier of Lost Souls into Light'

The crows were very obvious along the river this morning. I had never realised that they enjoyed the dogwood berries so much, but four of them flew out of a single group of bushes, one with a berry in it mouth. This one was on the edge of the rowing lake, poking about for carrion.

In many mythologies crows and ravens are often mixed up, and in myths and legends one frequently takes the place of the other. Like the raven, the crow was considered a messenger of the gods, and is associated with the sun, weather, longevity, beginnings, bad luck and death. He is also associated with the visible and invisible worlds, and was considered a bird of omen and prophecy. Because of his intelligence and cunning, the crow was also seen as a trickster, and many believed that fairies turned into crows in order to cause mischief. Perhaps he's a suitable subject for All Soul's day, when we remember our ancestors.

There were other birds along the river, including the elusive kingfisher. I saw one land in some shrubs but by the time I was close enough it had disappeared into the riverside trees. Further on, I was approaching a good spot for kingfishers, when a boat came along the river and disturbed a pair who flew about 1m over my head, far too fast for me to try and get any shots. I just enjoyed the experience! I also had a good view of a greater spotted woodpecker, and watched a magpie and sparrowhawk taunting one another. So all in all not a bad walk!

PS Last night's pumpkin was based on Majora's Mask which is a Legend of Zelda game - probably only meaningful to those under 25! I agree that it appears to have elements of tribal art...