Episode 32: Cromwell

One day six years ago, Perry was on our back deck in Arlington, Virginia, surveying our domain. He wasn’t out there doing anything in particular, just enjoying the early summer morning. Suddenly, Perry felt someone’s eyes on his back and turned to see a large crow perched on our trellis. The crow was staring purposefully at Perry and with the bird’s body language and a direct gaze, Perry realized he was waiting for something to eat. We have some notion of what a bird may be communicating as we had owned parrots over the years.

Well, okay, Perry thought and stepped into the kitchen to see what he could rustle up. Perry being descended from Swedes, our visiting crow was served a smorgasbord of what was at hand. The bird reviewed his choices thoughtfully and started plowing through the food. What he didn’t eat he stored in his beak. Then he lifted off, leaving Perry with a tail wag. That’s a good sign.

The crow returned the next day and we found ourselves scrambling to put together an appropriate menu. And the day after that. We began to get worried if he didn’t show. But he kept coming.

I was sitting on the deck one afternoon and happened to look over my shoulder. There was the crow – now called Cromwell as I was reading Hilary Mantel’s trilogy about Thomas Cromwell. He was sitting above me on the trellis; he hadn’t made a sound when he swooped in and landed.

After a few weeks, Cromwell showed up with a date, whom we called Jane. She also had a robust appetite and could be seen hiding tidbits in the neighbor’s gutter.

In those days, our front porch was not screened in. From time to time, we would be sitting in the living room when Cromwell and Jane would come looking for us. They would perch on the backs of the porch chairs and peer at us through the window. If we weren’t fast enough to respond, Cromwell would even tap on the glass. Message delivered.

During this time period, I had a small ceramic turtle on the deck table to hold napkins down when there was a breeze. I began to find it upside down on its back. I thought maybe Perry was messing with me. But one day we were eating out back, and Cromwell flew in to stand on the deck railing next to the table, turning his head from side to side to survey our plates. He hopped onto the back of a chair, and then onto the table, reached over and flipped the turtle onto its back. He looked back at us as if to say, “How about that?!”

Mystery solved.

Turtle upright.

Turtle turned over after a visit from Cromwell.

We found that the turtle would be flipped if Cromwell had been there and made sure to put out food for when he came back.

Crows are intelligent, mischievous and often reciprocate in exchange for what you give them.

See more in Episode 33.