ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

Thanks, Mike. It's a free country, and the video proves Ojai has its share of below the ground subway thinkers, conditioned by fast talking, fast food money junkies. If you are what you eat, some of these social IQ's are twinkies. I hope the subs are not products of Ojai schools.

HELLO! FORGET SUBWAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CROWS TAKING OVER OUR CITY. COMMENTS?????

CROWS, yes. Remember Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"? Right on, Vera.
I, too, have watched in awe and horror, during just the past year, as the crows have quickly taken over our town!
I, for one, am sick and tired of the obnoxious CAW!CAW! CAW!
AT THE BREAK OF DAWN, THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND
THEN AGAIN AT DUSK. CAW!CAW! CAW!
Does anyone realize the sheer numbers??? This is certainly a growing pest problem. If RATS were running all through Ojai in these numbers, what action would be taken to eradicate them? Scores of SKUNKS?? We're talking Hundreds of CROWS!! HUGE NUMBERS (defined as 'MOBS') of mite ridden, potential disease carrying (bird flu)pests (crows)are beginning to outnumber our citizens. They roost where they wish, get into our trash cans, poop about, damage crops AND annoy the hell out of many folks I've talked to. These large groups of crows are a threat to the peaceful atmosphere of Ojai, as well. The neighbor across the street has a 2 year old child who literally CANNOT nap due to the constant loud cawing. Again, what if these were scores of COYOTES or RACOONS or MICE running around town and behaving in the same ways? What would Ojai do? Just let them be? These pests fly. They're just birds. so...? Ok, what if there were hundreds of BATS flying around?
Ideas?? Thoughts?
Mary

Other communities are reaching out to our animal kingdom and learning about the animals which we share our world !

See what Auburn is doing:

Wildlife Watch, November 2005

The weekend after Thanksgiving, around 80 people attended a lecture about crows by Dr. Anne Clark, from Binghamton University. After the lecture Dr. Clark conducted a walk through downtown Auburn to view the crows from different spots. Wildlife Watch, Inc. chartered a bus and brought 20 people from the New York City area, and other visitors came from as far west as Buffalo and other parts of New York State. This weekend was well attended and enthusiastically received by the participants. Our committee has been spending a lot of time on education about the crows and trying to promote the phenomenon in Auburn as an eco-tourism draw.

We have a wonderful and natural wildlife phenomenon with the crows sleeping in Auburn in the winter. Many of us feel this could bring in tourist and scientists who want to study the crows. Wildlife watching is a multi-billion dollar industry. We believe the crows should be left alone in designated areas of the city, which would provide a tourist draw during the winter months. Many people have expressed an interest in the Auburn crow roosts. The Auburn area, which includes all of Cayuga County, has many cultural attractions, beautiful scenery and award winning wineries and fine restaurants.
Instead of seeing crows as a nusance, we should learn from this community of Auburn. We could turn the crow habitats of Ojai into an eco-draw and create more tourism for our community !

Uh....right. Crows. Uh huh.

Lets send our crows to Auburn. I agree with Vera. I am sick and tired of crows, crows and more crows morning, noon and night. They are everywhere and should be put on the first train to Auburn.

Steve:

The point is we don't want the crows here. We don't want to make them tourist attractions in Ojai - we already are an attraction. The only thing I have learned about crows is that they are very annoying, disrupt the habitats of other birds and that I wouldn't care if I never saw another crow again. That's something to crow about, Vera

OJAI IS THE "designated area". It's a free for all for crows. They run the town. Hooray for Auburn. Visualizing the scientists riding on the bus to look at crow roosts is rather comical. By the way, I have witnessed these mobs of crows tormenting an owl and several hawks, chasing both species away. Crows are DISRUPTING the ecology, NOT ADDING anything positive to it.

Steve:

The point is we don't want the crows here. We don't want to make them tourist attractions in Ojai - we already are an attraction. The only thing I have learned about crows is that they are very annoying, disrupt the habitats of other birds and that I wouldn't care if I never saw another crow again. That's something to crow about, Vera

"Crows are protected under the 'Migratory Bird Treaty Act', a federal act resulting from a formal treaty signed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, under this act, crows may be controlled without a federal permit when found "committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers and manner to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance.""

Also, some states have various permit requirements for controlling crows.

They are very destructive to the wild life where they take over. They took over the east coast years ago and are still expanding. California has seen huge populations taking over many towns and cities and rural areas. Their greatest threat is to waterfowl, particularly at Lake Casitas. Then to agriculture and all the gardens of the valley. Many people resort BB guns and Pellet guns to control them. Be careful, you'll shoot your eye out.

Hey Mike, good honest reporting, I like that. Not everyone agrees about this issue, but at least it seems to be without too much name calling.

HOW RAVEN HELPED THE ANCIENT PEOPLE
Told by a Puget Sound tribe

Long ago, near the beginning of the world, Gray Eagle was the guardian of the sun and moon and stars, of fresh water, and of fire. Gray Eagle hated people so much that he kept these things hidden. People liven in darkness, without fire and without fresh water.

Gray Eagle had a beautiful daughter, and Raven fell in love with her. At that time Raven was a handsome young man. He changed himself into a snow-white bird, and as a snow-white bird he pleased Gray Eagle's daughter. She invited him to her father's lodge.

When Raven saw the sun and the moon and the stars and fresh water hanging on the sides of Eagle's lodge, he knew what he should do. He watched for his chance to seize them when no one was looking. He stole all of them, and a brand of fire also, and flew out of the lodge through the smoke hole.

As soon a Raven got outside, he hung the sun up in the sky. It made so much light that he was able to fly far out to an island in the middle of the ocean. When the sun set, he fastened the moon up in the sky and hung the stars around in different places. By this new light he kept on flying, carrying w3ith him the fresh water and the brand of fire he had stolen.

He flew back over the land. When he had reached the right place, he dropped all the water he had stolen. It fell to the ground and thre became the source of all the fresh-water streams and lakes in the world.

Then Raven flew on, holding the brand of fire in his bill. The smoke from the fire blew ack over his white feathers and made them black. When his bill began to burn, he had to drop the firebrand. It struck rocks and went into the rocks. That is why, if you strike two stones together, fire will drop out.

Raven's feathers never became white again after they were blackened by the smoke from the firebrand. That is why Raven is now a black bird.

Tell me that Bill Moses, the organic vintner, was kidding!

You all are in luck. The city council has just removed its proposed moratorium on chain stores from the Tuesday agenda and replaced it with a proposed moratorium on crows.

Says councilwoman Rae Hanstad: "We are nothing if we can't listen to the people. The people of Ojai don't want to stop chain stores. They want to stop the crows. Our moratorium will tell these crows that they are NOT welcome."

Councilman Joe DeVito has not yet made up his mind. "I'm trying to figure out how to get notice to these crows before we vote on this moratorium." Joe was seen out on his back porch going "caw-caw-caw" but at press time it was not clear if his message had reached the crows.

As a result, speculation from citizens was that he would not support the moratorium. Distraught citizens were beside themselves. Talk of a recall was already in progress. "What else can we do?," said one citizen, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of being labelled a sour grape. "Look, Crow Joe is going to bury us in crow dung with his dithering. We are going to lose the Ojai we have to this crow invasion, and all he can do is stand on his porch going "caw caw". Hey, I appreciate Joe's past service, but we need new leadership."

Other citizens wanted to let the market speak. "Look," said one,"if people want to see crows, they'll come to Ojai. If they don't, they won't. It's called voting with your dollars. Personally, I like crows, and I'm sick and tired of driving to Ventura to see them."

Yes, please tell me as well, that Bill Moses, the organic vinter, was kidding!

He's a pure laissez faire, unregulated market, capitalist first.

Dana and Alyska, Thank you. Your post was informative. I won't comment on Steve's contribution.In spite of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, I understand that many states have crow hunting seasons with no limits as to the number of crows that can be killed. I'm not sure about California. San Diego, among MANY other cities has been taken over by tens of thousands of crows within just the last 3-5 years. I personally witnessed an evening "roost" in a North San Diego neighborhood. 3 huge trees contained 500-600 crows settling in for the night. Scary, just due to the numbers. The enormous and still growing population of crows has resulted in their needing more food, therefore, more scavenging, eating smaller birds, and cannibalism. The crows are apparently connected to the spread of West Nile Disease. They WILL wipe out local smaller song birds, starting with stealing and eating their eggs and/or newborns. There are recorded incidents of crows attacking young children, seeing them as a threat to the fledglings (in the month of May). Can anyone think of one positive thing to say about the birds?

Kit Arias: While I lived in Sacramento, almost 30 years, in the last 5 I guess it was, I saw crows coming in. Sacramento has one of the heaviest urban spread of trees planted in yards, to fight heat as well as for beauty. The crows love that. Also, Sacramento has nearby the Delta farm lands, as well as many water ways crisscrossing the area.

During their nesting season, it can get crazy out there. This is also occurring through out the Central Valley. The Central Valley has always had crows, but for some reason their populations has swelled.

No where in my readings have I found an explanation for this invasion by the crows. But it is clear that they change the ecosystem where ever they go in such numbers. I've seen there numbers increase in Ojai recently and I am worried what effect they will have on our wildlife.

Crows can live to be in their 40s. Crow's do not leave the nest until they are around 6 years old. Crows have at least 200 different word/concepts that they communicate using clicks and whistles. Crows mate for life. A large collection of crows is called a 'murder'. Thus the phrase: A murder of crows woke me this morning and prevented me from missing a meeting with Ronald McDonald.

They are a sacred bird to many American Indian tribes. Yes it's true that they are a scavenger bird, but in light of man's poor stewerdship of the planet they are simply following their destiny. This has been foretold by the ancients, it is part of a larger mechanism and may be useful to our eco system as species begin to die off due to global warming.

What's the connection between Subway and crows? Is that actually a crow sitting on the light pole? Like anything else, crows can become a cancer if not kept in a system of checks and balances, like justice and love. Our subway-system is so corrupt and rotten that scavengers thrive out of all proportion (crows and moneyists). The cure is to check substandard consciousness like subway's. Would you eat crow? If you eat subways, you eat worse than crow, you eat rotten money, stolen from women and children. We are what we eat, and if we eat rot, we will be rotten. I'll eat crow before I'll eat subway, anyday, anyway.

That is most definitely a crow on the light poll.

As for checks and balances, for the ever increasing crow populations, everyone needs to get a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas.

CROWS...Dana, Alyeska-good points. Steve, please tell us more about the ancients prediction and the global warming theory. I'm trying to connect man's misuse of the planet and this absurd crow proliferation. Surely, there must be some more scientific hypotheses. BB Guns for Christmas? I've started MY Christmas list. That, or a great horned owl in every stocking. Either would do the trick.

HECKLE AND JECKLE...
WHO KNEW???

Come on, don't you recognize that Kit Arias, MARY, VERA and probably Steve are the same person who has hijacked this thread with nonsense about crows of all things.

Berkeley Study:

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2005/03/21_wolvesclimate.shtml

Crow is also the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. In any healing circle, Crow is present. Crow guides the magic of healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. You can rest assure when ever crows are around, magic is near by and you are about to experience a change in consciousness. Crow can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all that is not yet in form.

Now I'm wondering if anonymous is Kit, Mary, Vera and Steve. That would be funny.

A long time ago, Crow and Hawk were friends. Crow would warn hawk when he saw danger approaching. Hawk would tell Crow where he could find food when he was hungry. Their friendship was like a blooming flower and made them both stronger. In fact, it was so strong that they fell into a trap. This trap is called pride.

Secretly, Hawk began to think to himself: "Crow eats too much. What do I get from him?" Hawk had forgotten all of the times that Crow's "CAW!" had saved him from danger.

Meanwhile, Crow began to think: "I have saved Hawk many times from danger and all I get are these dried up scraps of fur. Barely enough for a bug!"

Both had the same thought: "I don't need HIM."

The flower of their friendship had begun to wilt. Crow and Hawk stopped helping each other.

One day, Hawk caught a chubby mouse. He glided on soft currents of air to his favorite dining nook, in his favorite tree. Just as he was about to take his first bite, Hawk heard a loud "SCREEE!" just behind him. Startled Hawk dropped his meal and wrapped his wings around himself as protection for the attack - which never came. Hawk had been tricked. Thru his feathers, he watched Falcon swoop down and deftly catch the mouse that would have been his meal. No one had warned him that Falcon was near.

Meanwhile, skinny Crow searched for food. he was very hungry but he was too proud to ask hawk for help. After many days of no food, skeleton Crow thought to himself: "That Hawk, he's so fat he can barely fly! I will steal a meal from him." Crow had heard how Falcon tricked Hawk out of his dinner. "If it worked for him then it will work for me."

Crow hid in Hawk's favorite tree where the leaves were thick. Soon, dinner time arrived and so did Hawk. If Crow had lips, he would have licked them as he saw the fat mouse in Hawk's talons. Without a sound, Crow dropped from his hiding place. Just like Falcon. Crow crowed his best Falcon impersonation: "SCRAAWW!" only inches from Hawk's head.

To Crow's surprise, Hawk did not drop his meal in fright. Hawk opened his wings and spun. Startled Crow crashed into Hawk and the mouse-meal popped out of Hawk's beak. Crow and Hawk raced towards the ground below where the stunned prey had fallen. Hawk got there first and grabbed the mouse with his talons. Crow "CAAAWWW"ed in exasperation and chased after Hawk.

Even today, if you watch the sky closely, you can see crow fighting hawk for that same mouse.

The End

by Michael Didj

2007 ©

When Tyler and I landed in Ojai, we were greeted by over 20 crows, up in the Eucalyptus trees. It was such a powerful experience, as we witnessed them all dance happily up in the sky. I knew at that moment that we were truely home. I remember what a beautiful gift from nature it was to be received in this way.

hey, here are my subway stencils that have been posted on subway and other flat surfaces around town:
(jared) http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/9978/jaredkf9.jpg
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4272/nochainsbighp5.jpg

ANONYMOUS: A bit of handy knowledge for you: Any time a letter, comment or suggestion is submitted in any way, shape or form and signed "Anonymous", it is disregarded as having little to no value. Many times the content is assumed invalid,not worth the time to read it. Most folks know this; now YOU do!

SIGNED,
Mary, Vera, Steve, Dana, Ayeska,Kit Arias, Ed, Mike, Dennis, Ali and,
OH YES... Anonymous

Then, Mary, why not tell us your last name?

I can settle this. The crows have attained such high intellect that THEY are signing in to the 'Ojai Post' and submitting messages. Mind you, they are ONLY posting the "good crow stuff." Come on, people, there are more important issues. Example: SUBWAY is now offering a delightful Crow Caesar Salad. Also new on the menu, a more tradition sandwich, the "CLT" on sourdough. The Chili con Crow sounds yummy, also. Go Subway!

Dear Anonymous:
NO PROBLEM.

Yours Truly,
Mary Ann Onymous

DYLAN
I checked out your stencils. I don't get the first one with the pants ? The second one is good, a little inside, but that's ok. Where might one enjoy these in person?
MARY

Yeah, I didn't get the first one either-I liked the second one.
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I'm still laughing at Kit's sub menu.