Attempted aerial mugging in Silverdale?

Friendly chat, questions, reviews, find old friends or relatives. Not limited to Sydenham only issues but keep it civil!
Post Reply
Tim Lund
Posts: 6718
Joined: 13 Mar 2008 18:10
Location: Silverdale

Attempted aerial mugging in Silverdale?

Post by Tim Lund »

I tried to get a photo, but it was too quick for me, and I meant to write about this at the time as well - sometime last week?

Anyway, there was an incredible racket as hordes of crows, I'd say up to 40, and I think a few magpies, were dive bombing something across the road in Silverdale. It was a heron, which seems to be in real trouble, being forced to flap around close to buildings and trees.

I couldn't imagine why all these crows were going for it - what possible benefit is there for a crow in a heron crash landing? Anyway, the most plausible suggestion I find from googling is that
Crows are very smart. They apparently watch herons feeding and mob herons who have recently eaten. Herons in such a state are loaded-down and cannot fly well. When mobbed, the heron will often disgorge its meal enabling it to escape, while the crows get an easy meal.

The explanation came from an old friend who was once nearly hit by a fish that fell out of the sky. He seemed to think that mobbing of herons by crows was not unusual.
Source here
bjc
Posts: 17
Joined: 28 Jan 2011 10:46
Location: Sydenham

Re: Attempted aerial mugging in Silverdale?

Post by bjc »

:D
Parker1970
Posts: 512
Joined: 4 Nov 2014 22:36
Location: Anerely

Re: Attempted aerial mugging in Silverdale?

Post by Parker1970 »

I'm not sure attempted mugging is the right phrase, after all, 3 or more crows is a murder of crows, so it was murder!! :D

Reminds me of the old joke photo I saw on Facebook. 2 crows sitting on a fence labelled, attempted murder :)
mosy
Posts: 4111
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 20:28
Location: London

Re: Attempted aerial mugging in Silverdale?

Post by mosy »

There was some wild life programme or other that showed fish getting their own back. A large fish (catfish maybe) would lurk like a stone on a river bed and jump up to catch birds who were hoping to catch tiddler fish. Karma?
Ronski
Posts: 437
Joined: 6 Jan 2006 01:19
Location: SE26

Re: Attempted aerial mugging in Silverdale?

Post by Ronski »

Spotted a mugging at the café in Mayow Park recently...

https://youtu.be/9baE4ULPX3c
Post Reply