In recent years there has been a plethora of books on Crows. I read one of them a few years ago, by John Marzluff called Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans and it connected to and influenced my own observations of crows. Since my boys have been born I have watched crows morning and night fly across the sky. I have taken note of where they sit and eat out my bedroom window. I find gifts from them in our backyard. What I didn't realize was how so many people have this connection to crows and to nature.
Now I have once again picked up a book on crows, called Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt. It turns out she is a neighbor in my own city, Seattle. She is also a naturalist...an urban naturalist as I consider myself. I feel like I have found community.
There is a community of urban naturalists and we all have our own art and approach. Another local urban naturalist that I follow is the Kelly Brennen who blogs at the Metropolitan Field Guide. Her writing, art and links give me guidance and inspiration. Then of course are the naturalists and organizations that I have taken classes from or worked alongside in the city. This cadre of people: watching nature, taking actions to inspire others to see nature, and working to make change so that our urban communities grow and develop with conservation, greenery, and diversity.
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