A murder of crows
Came into work early this morning, as I pulled into my usual parking space, noticed a small murder of crows gathered around an object. At first I thought it was some trash they were scavenging for food. They nest somewhere nearby, and figured they'd picked some garbage from one of the houses, and were picking through it from the relative early morning isolation, at least until I drove up, of the parking lot.
Then I noticed the legs as one crow pecked at the item, it wasn't a piece of trash, but a toad. Since they are scavengers, the toad must have been the discarded remains of another animal's hunt. As I got out of the car, even though I gave the remains a wide berth, the crows still scattered into the trees. When I got up to the office, peeked outside and saw the crows back at their investigation, this time they'd moved it actually closer to my car. And I wasn't exactly looking forward to having to gingerly step my way around the toad remains.
A little bit later, while waiting on a printer to warm up, took another peek outside. The crows were gone, probably scared away by the other early arrivals at the building. However, the toad was still there, and in a complete shock, still alive. He was very slowly hopping his way towards the foliage that surrounds the building. Checked back a little later and there was no sign of the toad as well.
Then I noticed the legs as one crow pecked at the item, it wasn't a piece of trash, but a toad. Since they are scavengers, the toad must have been the discarded remains of another animal's hunt. As I got out of the car, even though I gave the remains a wide berth, the crows still scattered into the trees. When I got up to the office, peeked outside and saw the crows back at their investigation, this time they'd moved it actually closer to my car. And I wasn't exactly looking forward to having to gingerly step my way around the toad remains.
A little bit later, while waiting on a printer to warm up, took another peek outside. The crows were gone, probably scared away by the other early arrivals at the building. However, the toad was still there, and in a complete shock, still alive. He was very slowly hopping his way towards the foliage that surrounds the building. Checked back a little later and there was no sign of the toad as well.