*THE CROW BOY*

Peeking out a window with the curtain half closed, I watched the mama order the young one into the bird bath. He’d wriggle around in the water, then look at his mom as if to say, “I’m done, can I please get out now?”

Mom would squawk at him till he crouched down again and nervously flipped his right wing a little. Again he was in trouble: “Do it again,” she apparently said.

After getting him to bathe his right side, she wouldn’t give in to his wails but instead made him turn around in the bath to flip his left wing and splash water up under it, over it, and put the wing-pit into the water. Then she made him duck his head under, all of it, beak, nose, eyes, and all. He had to dunk his head 3 times before Mama approved. Once he was clean enough to pass her inspection, she let him sit on the edge of the bird bath while she washed her face, ducking and dunking her head several times.

While Mom was washing up, the little guy set up a rucus until his father flew in with a tasty morsel to shove into the little one’s beak. That shut him up for a moment or two. Then all three of them began walking the yard, looking for goodies.

It was a very sweet and touching scene, but it was also funny because the little guy obviously didn’t want his bath at all!

If I’d gone for the camera, they’d have seen me and flown off. So all I can show you is this mental picture.

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baby, bath, crow, face, father, mother, picture, son and word