one giant raven step

I began to write this two days ago as the El Moro Runt (the late Runt below), the fourth and only one left in the nest, contemplated flight. Sadly, this morning, I found him dead in the sand. Did he fall flying or was he prey to a greater power and/or hunger? His three siblings sat quietly on the cliff, looking seaward.

Further south, the Inklings have at last come off the nest at times, indicating successful incubation, I believe. Edgar Allen prowls the cliffs for food as well as for protection of his mate, Lenore, and his progeny.

The Grogs appear so carefree, flying out and about together and without any apparent demands for food, that I am almost convinced that they are nest-free now. Their abandoned nest drops its walls with the wind, twig by twig, and to the cacophony of saws and tree trimming. The liberated Grogs give no indication of having established a new post.

Raven Redux

The triumphant Moros scour the bush for bread to feed three big babies feathered in black. I thought I saw a diminished fourth in the back of the nest but am uncertain. Often the parents fly straight past the white crusty beaks begging for supper. They are intent about their business.

The frazzled Inklings (see damp Edgar Allen Inkling to left) have retaken an old nesting spot on the cliff where they were at home in years past. Their rival Jets are so consumed with life in the palm tree, that they appear to have taken little notice and no threatening actions.

The Grogs are acting enigmatically. Sunshine no longer sits in the eucalyptus tree nest and there is no evident life about it. Grog is not guarding there. Have they moved because of the troublesome building distractions? Arthur Conan Grog is giving nothing away yet (Mr.Cool in photo on top).

Before the rains

The poor Inklings have been washed out again. This was their home before the rains. What will they do now? Which way to turn? It's forever starting over, again and again and again...





Meanwhile, further north, three Moro babes showed their beaks. The Moro family is a raven's pace ahead. El and Ella Moro scrounge the coast for tasty tidbits for their hungry young.

A.C.Grog coasts along the sands in a more leisurely fashion as his mate, Sunshine, is stuck incubating the nest. Occasionally, he flies in with a morsel to keep her content. Otherwise, this is deep breath time before new demanding beaks begin to call.

Raven Families Update 2011

Faithful Grog is guarding his nest and feeding his Sunshine who sits impatiently. She was happily gallivanting through the air and around the beach only last week. Now she is stuck in that old necessity of creation. The Grog couple are at home in the eucalyptus tree still left standing after their previous tree home was chopped without notice in 2009. There is busy building around and beneath them but A.C.Grog keeps his beak up, more concerned about potential trouble from the air.

Hidden Grog Home (photo)

The Moros are also at nest. Ella Moro rarely ventures off from her edgy cliff-face home, cleverly camouflaged in shadow. Her views of the Pacific are second to none but perhaps she can be blase, having lived there many a year. She keeps her head mostly down, focusing her warmth and trusting in the aerial ingenuity of her mate, the El Moro, to take care of 'out there'.

El Moro flying on his back (photo)

The Inklings appear to have taken over Pip

territory, having built a nest in the runoff pipe

only to have it washed away in last week's rain. Today, I saw it was rebuilt in the same place. Let's hope the predicted storm does not wreck their work.

The Jets remain in their palm tree, although they venture further into the beach area, seeming to claim a narrow stretch between Moro territory and old Inkling ground as their own. In rather aggressive fashion, they are staking the air further and further south, pushing the Inklings closer to the border and cousin chihuahua ravens. The Pips appear nowhere in sight.

The family furthest north, north of Grog territory, I failed to mention before. I call them the Smuts. Gus and Elise are magnificent raven specimens. They have lived for years in a palm tree with the flat top of the grand arches leading up Coast drive as their front porch.

Returned to Earth: 2011

Two years later and we're back together. The ravens stayed. The ravens remember. I have landed once again in their territory.

Territory is their preoccupation as nesting is soon to begin. The Grogs and Moros are in fine fettle as are the other pairs.

Although I stay a bit further away, I hope to catch still the raven's ear.