Growing pains

Today I was working like crazy to get stuff done at home - laundry, dishes, cooking ahead for the week... When I was in my room, I heard something through the open window and looked out. There were a couple of ravens a little ways from the house, and one of them was making a strange noise.

Now, ravens making strange noises is not unusual. There are several of them that like to hang out at Miner's Castle, and they never shut up! Not only are they bigger than crows, but they have a much bigger vocabulary. Where crows just go "caw, caw", ravens make all kinds of sounds. Sometimes they sound like someone yelling. Sometimes it sounds like they are making fun of how the crows talk...

The thing is, they're noisy! And this one was not being loud. It just kept repeating this quiet sort of "creak, creak" and following after the other raven. And I suddenly had a hunch as to what I was seeing: a young raven who has left the nest and doesn't know what to do, and still expects Mom to provide food! I've seen it with robins and other small birds over and over - the young bird is adult-sized, able to fly, but acting like a helpless hatchling! I can't be sure that's what I was seeing - they were too far away for me to be sure - but one was definitely following another, making a plaintive sound and refusing to be quiet! It was pretty funny once I started to watch for the signs. I'll have to keep my eye open for such behavior out at Miner's Castle!