Each evening I see them, about 25 to 30  – northwestern crows, all heading someplace for the night. As the sun sets behind the Olympic Mountains, this bunch comes out of Chimacum Creek estuary, goes right over our meadow and moves on to someplace only known to the crows. As they go by, they’re constantly exchanging hoarse caws and croaks. I imagine it to be something like “What did you do today?” or “Boy that cockle was sure good, and I got it and not you, caw, caw, caw!” Or possibly “Who decided we had to head this direction every evening? Who’s in charge of this murder of crows anyway?”

Northwestern crows are a different species than the normal American crow. Slightly smaller and completely focused on the saltwater shorelines of the Pacific Northwest, we often see these birds doing what they’ve learned to do to make their living. At low tide, northwestern crows rummage around beach rocks until they find an unsuspecting clam. Dislodging it, a bird will fly straight up about thirty feet and let it drop onto the rocks below. It may take more than one try, but once the shell has broken or even just cracked, the crow has dinner. It’s evidently a learned trait that young crows are taught, because we’ll see adults showing the kids how to go about it. Dinner on the half-shell.

This ORIGINAL painting is acrylic on paper board, 5″ x 7 1/2″ and is $85 unframed.
This wood frame and a double mat makes it a total of $125 and shipping adds just a bit more depending on your zone or if you take the frame. This is the original painting, NOT a print. Other mats and frames are also available.
Email us for details.

Thanks for reading this week.
While I painted this in my studio back home, we’re currently in Hawaii on Oahu’s North Shore – and watching some amazing waves. Thanks, Jeff! Your kama’ina home is lovely. I’ll try to send some photos of these in a few days. It takes some kind of crazy person with a death wish to go out there and ride those monsters – and I sure wish it were me!

Larry Eifert

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