5 Things Ravens Do

See the movie "A Year With The Ravens", there's 2 versions;
www.youtube.co....
and then with Rick's Ravens at Crystal Cove;
www.youtube.co....
See our first short, "Bob, Huey & Me"
www.youtube.co....
See more of Raven Rick's ravens in "The Wildlife of Crystal Cove" ;
www.youtube.co....
Also, see Rick's entire Raven Diaries including his first short that started his renewed passion for ravens, "Bob, Huey & Me" !
DVD with many extras at; astore.amazon.c....
And Amazon Instant Video at; www.amazon.com/....
Check out all Rick Boufford's books at Amazon here;
www.amazon.com...
This is actually an out-take from our full length documentary "A Year With The Ravens" for the simple fact the movie would be too long! But I think it makes a nice stand alone short. It includes 5 things ravens do that is unique or rare in the rest of the animal kingdom.
#5 Ravens pair up and homestead a farm and stay there working that farm for life.
#4 Ravens pass things beak to claw, and then back again over and over.
#3 Ravens make and mimic more sounds than any other animal in the kingdom. (Lyre Birds and parrots can also mimic anything and everything, but it seems ravens (in my experience and from recordings and videos I've been exposed to) tend to actually use a wider range of sounds.
#2 Ravens have a special dive I call "the bomb" that they do and repeat over and over again. I haven't seen this dive repeated over and over agin by any other bird. (Yes, I know falcons stoop, but it's done specifically to hunt and kill, and it is a little different from the dive the ravens do.)
#1 Ravens meet, with what seems to be, just a reason to play!
Music - The Four Seasons and other Vivaldi pieces from "The Vivaldi Classics Album: License (Lifetime non-transferable worldwide license for synchronization rights) and Royalty Free Music purchased from sound-ideas.com .

[@complexsin5469]

Ravens seem to have fun being Ravens; I envy them

[@dalewilliams8001]

I've seen them doing "the bomb" over the Grand Canyon, in November, 2002. I remember them letting out a chuckle-like "cluck", just as they went into the dive. My strongest impression was, yes, they seemed to be doing it just for fun..

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

triple X he’s speaking about just birds

[@KarePassion]

Peregrine Falcons fold their wings in when they dive. I don't know if they play in the same way, but they do fold their wings in tight for accelerating their dive. kzbin.info/www/bejne/opbKq4uHoauBoNU Thanks for the video!!!

[@deandaul7779]

Prepperjon ppp

[@longshotkdb]

because you never have fun being human? it is not a pre-requisite of loving ravens to be miserable... . >_

[@utahprepper8925]

I once watched a small group of seagulls play with a styrofoam cup, One would bring it up in the air and drop it and the others would try and catch it. Whoever caught it would then take it up and drop it, and the others would go for it. It was truly amazing.

[@LazyIRanch]

Playfulness in animals is always a sign of intelligence. I've watched ravens at my house playing tug of war with string or sticks while other ravens cawed and hopped up and down excitedly cheering them on. I rescued a baby raven from being killed about 8 years ago. Poor little guy was born with a beak that was crooked but perfectly functional, but in nature any anomaly can be seen as unacceptable to the flock (or murder in this case). He was being pecked savagely and wouldn't have survived if I hadn't been lucky enough to see what was happening and scooped him up before the other birds killed him. I brought him home and put him in an outdoor aviary and took care of him until he could fly. I didn't try to tame him because I believe wild animals belong in the wild unless they won't survive without extra care. My son named him "Igor" after Dr. Frankenstein's hunchback lab assistant. We turned him loose about 6 weeks later, he flew high up, circled a few times, came right back to my porch and cawed, "That was fun! Now what's for dinner?" One day he disappeared and we were worried, but he returned... with a mate! I named her "Elsa" after Elsa Lanchester, the beautiful actress who played the Bride of Frankenstein. I figured since the Bride hated the doctor and his monster, then that only left Igor as her possible love connection. ha! They are adorable and very affectionate, always grooming each other. When Elsa sits on their nest, Igor brings her food. I'll put food out and watch him pick out the choicest bits and set them aside while he eats, then he carries the food he set aside to her sitting on eggs. If human couples acted more like raven couples, there'd be a lot less divorce! They've raised several families here since, so now when I drive to my mailbox that's 3 miles from my house, sometimes there's about a dozen ravens that fly circles over my car all the way there and back.

[@denizozan-george7763]

Fantastic story! Thanks for sharing it!

[@wendi-bnkywuv]

Even in human society those who are different are picked on. It's legal for us to horrible things to animals in the name of medical and behavioral research because animals "are not humans". However, in humans, it's not uncommon for humans to harass other humans for being different, even to the point of suicide.

[@CraftAero]

I was watching a raven perched on a wire above the road when it rolled over and hung upside down. It was just looking around, watching traffic. Then it let go with one claw, just hanging there by the other. When the traffic was clear it let go and fell, just above the road (and I mean JUST) it opened up, glided a bit down the road then flew up to a lamppost perch. Seemed for no other reason than, it could. Downtown I've seen them "surf" cars down the main drag. Just a foot or so above the car soaring on the bow wave. They'll do this all afternoon. My observed record was three cars in a row, each with it's own "rider".

[@theravendiaries]

Yeah! I love it! No other reason other than perhaps it could, and to have fun? I love to watch my baby ravens on the cliffs as they will stand on each other and literally roll each other off the cliff, like loggers in a logrolling competition. Thanks, fellow Calvin and Hobb's er for sharing your great observations. (What city, downtown?)

[@CraftAero]

The "surfing" I've seen on Jasper St. in downtown Edmonton (Alberta Canada). Ravens have been moving there en masse ! tinyurl.com/j29rnx5 Been a (very) long time Calvin and Hobbes fan. My desktop wallpaper is from Let's go Exploring, because... it makes sense. tinyurl.com/y7dvdgel My sleep screen also... makes sense. tinyurl.com/yc2wr3jk

[@theravendiaries]

Perfect! Thanks for sharing the links. But the bird picture they are calling a "raven" is kind of crow like no? The beak looks a little light and thinner than our common ravens in So Cal... Also, C & H model my "life attitude" here; knowyourmeme.com/photos/1227884-calvin-and-hobbes "What a pretty afternoon"

[@CraftAero]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they used a crow photo [rolleyes]. The ravens here are much more "menacing" and there's no mistaking their voices.

[@CraftAero]

The influx of Ravens continues here. We're told that ~95% of the "black birds" we see in the city are indeed Ravens. We are snow covered now so the only birds are Ravens, Magpies, Sparrows and the odd Gull. Hawks and Owls are common in the river valley, the out skirts and beyond. Many people I talk to have seen the Ravens surfing cars (trucks, buses), but no video yet. Downtown seems to be the only place they do this. Either something to do with the "wind-tunnel" effect of the buildings or just a local group figured this out. It's obvious by the way they loop around and do it again that they ARE having fun and showing off. And it's never just one. If one starts, the rest jump in. I'll have to go down for an afternoon and see if I can catch them on video.

[@flycorvus]

Ravens are the coolest birds in this planet. And I can confirm: "the bomb" is common behaviour here, in eastern Europe too. :)

[@raylovelace8588]

There's a jewelry motif in eastern and Northern Europe from roughly a thousand years ago - a bird folded up rather like a raven diving.

[@Michelle-mu2ux]

I love them. They are bringing gifts and showing off. My crow made sure I saw him with the egg I gave him. ❤❤❤

[@LazyIRanch]

@@Michelle-mu2ux They really do bring gifts to humans whom they like! There's a family of ravens living on my property for the last 8 years that I feed every day with peanuts and meat scraps. I started finding small tools, machine parts I'd never seen before, an old Casio databank watch circa 1990s, LOTS of metal washers which the birds see me use when repairing the chicken coop. One time I found the ignition to a Kawasaki motorbike with the key still in it, and it was left right next to the driver's side door of my car, where the birds have watched me unlock with a key many times. That blows my mind that these birds are really that smart! I suppose someone in our community is missing that ignition switch and key and have no idea it was stolen by a bird!

[@airdrummer55]

My face hurts from smiling through this entire video. I used to waitress on the patio of a restaurant where I worked. There was a raven that would perch on the roof of a little storage area we had out there and berate my customers as they left. Some flat out insisted there was some trickery involved because they couldn’t believe that they said words in English. They did. The ravens could be very bratty. Not at me though. I miss being around them but the crows where I live now are characters too.

[@theravendiaries]

Hello Kathy Bishop! My face hurts smiling at your smiley face and story! What part of the world are you in now? I was in the restaurant biz also, so I'd love to hear the name, where, and what kind of place you worked in where you'd have ravens near the patio? What fun memories!

[@MissTrinidad]

Forevermore, Cawwww 💜

[@paulnoecker1202]

I love crows haha they're the biker ass holes of the bird world.

[@Scathingly]

@@paulnoecker1202 - What a great description, although dem der crows might object heartily.

[@DonFahquidmi]

Same here! Anybody who has ever made friends with Ravens gets it.

[@primevalseeker3952]

Recently I saw a Raven talking to a young eagle in a tree, I thought it was a crow harassing the eagle near a salmon bearing river. But no it was a raven talking and gesturing to the eagle and not being aggressive at all. it would turn its head upside down and chatter to the eagle and try to engage the other bird. The eagle was not happy and jumped to another branch but this went on for about 10 minutes before I had to leave. really cool to see this interaction

[@jenniesparke6085]

that's kinda hilarious and cool

[@XXC0Y]

That's actually very similar to what made me watch this. There's a few clips of a snowy owl and a raven - different animals from different places - on yt where the raven does exactly that.

[@marysantillo3725]

You were fortunate

[@Firstthunder]

That’s super cool. The nest of raven my neighbors visited and chatted with me today. They are a part of my world that I recognize a relationship with. It’s fun to have raven friends.

[@michaelbanister6838]

One event my son and I were watching a family of ravens and we heard the mother of the family saying to the bunch of her children (no-no) it made my son and I look at each other in disbelief,we have been making friends with group of ravens but we're not that surprised, these birds are very intelligent.!!

[@dawnteskey5252]

A couple of years ago I witnessed a huge number of ravens (hundreds) over my home. They were playing, diving, just swirling around. It was amazing. They eventually formed a gigantic vortex, like a huge cone, all together. Just swirling like a tornado of ravens. The most awe-inspiring natural phenomenon I've ever seen.

[@sidilicious11]

Dawn Teskey that was a wonderful sight you got to see. I've had two incredible magical group flying sightings in my life, one was with vultures and one was with eagles.

[@mikurira]

if it flied in a huge number, it's not raven, it's crow, because ravens only travel in pairs while crows travel in larger groups. But raven and crow still in the same family branch (Corvidae) so I guess they have similar attributes.

[@dawnteskey5252]

, Not trying to be difficult, but It was a huge unkindness of ravens. I know the difference. Thank you for your view, but I know. I have a pair of ravens that live nearby and so I know what you mean, but they also group together every year. It's a beautiful and magical thing.

[@dawnteskey5252]

So amazing, isn't it? We also have vultures that nest every year on a peak above our home. Usually not more than 20, but I am in awe of these creatures.

[@perfectfan2006]

they do that when a leader has fallen they will come from miles around to pay respects and pick a new regional leader they will also stand guard to protect the dead body from scavengers until this weird election is over.. strangest animal actions i ever saw..

[@ronnieschenkein8832]

I once heard a cuckoo clock in the woods...it turned out to be a raven doing a perfect imitation of a cuckoo clock! Thanks for the fun footage.

[@naturbursche5540]

It may have just imitated a cuckoo.

[@ronnieschenkein8832]

@@naturbursche5540 That would make sense if I lived in Europe. However, in the US the cuckoo's we have don't say "cuckoo!"

[@LazyIRanch]

I live off-grid in a very remote area on a mountain. It takes me at least 20 minutes to drive to the closest paved road that's 3 miles away. I can't get anything delivered here, even tow trucks won't come to my house because the dirt road is too treacherous. My closest neighbor is more than a mile away. Imagine my shock when I heard the back-up alarm of a garbage truck in my driveway early one morning! I threw on some clothes and ran outside to see what's going on, only to see a raven sitting in the spot where I leave food for them, loudly saying, "BEEEEP BEEEEP!" I thought I was tripping! Pretty smart bird, because of course I brought him food. I love these birds so much!

[@jacklisiecki2389]

We have a pair of ravens that always hang out at the same telephone pole. When I whistle, they answer! It's become quite a game. Thanks for some great footage of these wonderful birds.

[@rick43pen]

A friends dog killed a small raven in her backyard. She had a backyard full of cawing pissed off ravens for weeks after that.

[@turbo682]

They mourn also.

[@ladykoiwolfe]

They remember. I would absolutely not allow the dog out on it's own after that.

[@Biggummysmile]

Good,

[@christinesheridan901]

They don't only mourn, but they also seem to investigate a death! Yes, yes.. murder investigation, but true!

[@Runner8617]

We had a cat who killed a crow/Raven once and my dad disposed of the dead body cause it was in the middle of our backyard, and they did the same thing.

[@mghmedioelfa3934]

I love when you say "thank you" for their "performance". I was looking for information about ravens as human companions for a novel and this is so inspiring..., thank you :)

[@theravendiaries]

If I can help you in any way, or you have any questions, need real life stories, let me know!

[@mghmedioelfa3934]

@@theravendiaries I appreciate it very much :)).

[@chado3000]

There's a pretty good story by a guy named Edgar Allen Poe.. 🤣

[@mghmedioelfa3934]

@@chado3000 But I was not looking for creepy stuff XD

[@mghmedioelfa3934]

@David Jones I am just beginning... I have what I think is an amazing story (what writer does not think it XD), but it has been developing in my mind for some time, I have been doing some investigation on many things I need for the novel but it is a bit of a mess XD and I need to classify the information... It will involve Ancient Roman times near Hispanian Emerita Augusta, not a historical novel, but kind of phantastic but the more reallistic as possible..., credible. I usually write poetry and need to practice my novelistic skills so it will take time..., sometimes I think it will be too much time but I will keep going on... This beautiful videos will shape the raven-companion's personality. Thank you for this motivating comment :)

[@hansolo8080]

I love the fact that he always thanks the birds for showing off

[@willmatson3103]

My suspicion about their diving behavior ('the bomb') is that in addition to play, it's also practice for using it as an evasive flying maneuver-- if they're being chased/harassed by another bird, the quick dive probably helps them evade the aggressor by granting a sudden burst of speed. That was certainly the impression I got when you showed the clip of the crow and raven flying together.

[@johnsomerset1510]

I've never seen the Ravens in Somerset, UK do it, even when being harassed by crows swooping around trying to chase them off. Also our ravens have deeper croaks and longer slimmer wings than these crow-like birds in the video.

[@requiemforameme1]

I’d love to attribute it to “skill”. e.g. ravens practice carrying items and twirling around in the air as a form of leisure. Which is an understandably huge stretch in terms of applying our understanding to birds. But ravens are sure at the top of the list in terms of intelligence and possibly understanding the human world we’ve built around them.

[@mrskinner8473]

I agree. The fact that they practice this with each other, and probably toss up scores lol, is just beautiful and stunning at the same time

[@gkseeton]

I love ravens. They deserve their reputation as pranksters.

[@timcole6882]

A lifelong northern Maine resident , watched those crazy birds every day. They’re everywhere here and I have enjoyed them my whole life. An intelligent and social birdwith a sense of humor.

[@momijiyamanishi4548]

I had a raven talk to me at 12 midnight. It told me to sit down and stay put. I have more to the story and we'll never forget it.

[@eatwhatukiii2532]

Maine here, as well!

[@naturbursche5540]

@@momijiyamanishi4548 more to the story please

[@imppious]

When a mass of Ravens gather to party, is that a 'Rave of Ravens'?

[@robertdemeter5793]

Taken from Crow and Raven Shamanic Spiritual wisdom of thousands of years experience (Raven and Crow reveal the same).The crow (and/or Raven) is a spirit animal associated with life mysteries and magic. The power of this bird as totem and spirit guide is provide insight and means of supporting intentions. Sign of luck, it is also associated with the archetype of the trickster; be aware of deceiving appearances. If the crow has chosen you as your spirit or totem animal, it supports you in developing the power of sight, transformation, and connection with life’s magic. Throughout history, the crow has been associated with both positive and negative symbolic meanings. The most common are: Life magic; mystery of creation, Destiny, personal transformation, alchemy ( entheogen plants) - Intelligence Higher perspective Being fearless, audacious Flexibility, adaptability Trickster, manipulative, mischevious Other traditional meanings associate the crow with bad omen, death, ( of course we are talking about the death of your Ego, not a warning of physical death) . The crow also carries the power of prophetic insight and symbolizes "the void" or core of creation. The Spirit of Ravens and Crows helped create Mother Earth and life on this planet. Ravens and Crows are commonly associated with magic and the power to manipulate physical appearances. Ted Andrews in his classic on animal totems “Animal Speak” mentions that we can find crows are common animals that we can find all around the globe. As such, they are a reminder that magic is everywhere. When you encounter a crow, just tune into its behavior and it will give you a clue on how to use the magic powers it carries. Because of its affinity with life mysteries and magic, the crow (and Raven) is seen in many shamanic traditions as the spirit animal of choice for those who use magic and have the power to manipulate the law of our physical universe. The crow used to be the animal of choice of shamans, those who do shape-shifting. Crows (and Ravens) usually have black with tints of blue or purple depending on the light shining on them. Their color is symbolic of the onset of creation, of the void or what has not taken form yet. Fascinating spirit animals, they carry the energy of life mysteries and the power for deep inner transformation. As a spirit guide, the crow and Raven will guide you in getting in touch with life mysteries and develop your ability to perceive subtle shifts in energy within yourself and in your environment. It has the ability to go beyond the illusions, especially duality of right and wrong, inner and outer !! Crows are known to build their nests in very tall trees. Doing so, they can get a better vision or perspective on the rest of their surroundings. By affinity with this trait, those who have the crow as a spirit animal or totem will enjoy a position from where they can see things from a higher perspective. The crow is also watchful of intruders and predators. The sound it makes is characteristic of a loud, strident bird noise that can warn the other members of it clan over great distance. When you see your crow spirit animal, be on the watch. Have you ever watched a group of crows (and Ravens) ganging up together and chasing out birds much bigger than they are? This behavior makes the crow a useful animal totem to call when you need support in dealing with adversity. If the crow chose you as your power animal, you are encouraged to develop your personal will power and speak your truth more loudly !! While the crow appearing in a dream is sometimes considered a bad omen, a foreshadowing of sadness, this is only one of many meanings. A necessary step in facing your darkness. A deeper interpretation of this meaning is that the crow is said to fly between the worlds of life and death and an appearance in your dreams may signify a message about your thoughts on life, death and transformation. Crows are also very intelligent and dreaming about a crow or crows may be a sign of your wisdom or intuition. Your subconscious may be telling you to trust your intuition. The crow and Raven is also a symbol of transformation. What part of your life is or may be going through a transition? Whatever it is, the crow amd Raven is signaling that you are ready to make the change !! Nature is infinite magic !! : - )

[@dawnmidnightsun2521]

Hey that is better than a "suspicion" or "murder" like it's normally called lol.

[@robertdemeter5793]

Well of course. Most of it has to do with the complete and total stupidity of religion. They demonize all life and demonize the world. Their complete apathy. Hence why the world is so dark to them as it's a reflection of the darkness within them. They hate Mother Earth and Nature, hence why they don't care to learn anything about it, Which is nothing more than a reflection of their self-hatred.

[@robertdemeter5793]

This is the only true church that exists - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIO1nJKDq69oeqs .. And all human built churches (materialism) are complete lies.

[@dakotastein9499]

@@dawnmidnightsun2521 a "murder" is what you call a flock of crows... a family of Raven's is refered to as a "depression"...which is very unfitting considering thier playful behavior

[@hey6548]

I work in a lumber yard that shares the lot with a topsoil place and there are 15 or so eagles and more crows and ravens than I can count that are there daily. Either walking around our tree piles or congregating on the compost pile for heat on a cold day. It is so fun to see the three birds live together in seemingly a mostly friendly way. I get to see so many interactions between them

[@chunkylunk8897]

Anybody notice that he thanks the birds after a performance? This is what the good of the world do as hobbies. Ur my hero man thx

[@jadegoodell6226]

I love your channel!! I am currently working with a Raven at the Ogden Nature Center in Ogden, Utah. I've been working with him for 6 months straight, every day, only missed a total of 2 days with him, not consecutive. He is a 20 year old non releasable Raven. Someone stole him from a nest and he imprinted and they let him go when he got aggressive. Anyway, my experience with him has changed my life!!! The bond I have with him is incredible and I learn something new from him every day. He barks like a dog, makes water sounds and pipe sounds, says hi and hello, says "watch your back" and "God Bless you, man". Most recently he started to scream like a girl and I think it's because he scares a lot of the feeders and they scream for some reason. He is AMAZING!!! I love to see your videos and see the same love that you have. I'm not alone in my Raven love!!!

[@theravendiaries]

20 ! Lucky you, please stay touch! I've worked with my ravens at the Cove for 18 years and people have a hard time believing I'm working with the same birds... In fact I lost my first and favorite adult, Maude of Harold and Maude in spring of 2017, 3 weeks after her young had hatched. I'll have a video of that up soon. You are invited and encouraged to come here and share your experiences, or leave links to any posts you make about your relationship with "your" bird any time your heart desires cause I know I would love to hear them and I know many that use this channel would love it also. One day, with your advance permission I'd love to meet you and your bird. I go to and through Utah fairy often and have been to Ogden a few times in my skiing days and most recently on my way to Yellowstone. Thank you for sharing!

[@theravendiaries]

Duh, OK, went to your channel and saw Cronk... I'd encourage you to post more? For very selfish reasons of course. I never get enough of these birds, and I never tire of the stories about them and especially those about their relationships with people!

[@jadegoodell6226]

theravendiaries I forget I've even posted any videos. Because he isn't mind they require that I get permission before I post anything online. I am working on getting permission to do a Cronk series because I work with him every single day and his progress I'd amazing and I know a lot of people that would love to watch that. And it gets people to want to come meet him at the Nature Center. So I'll keep you posted on that. In the meantime I am slowly posting videos on my account of the little fun things we do. One of my favorite things with him is watching him cache his food. I have him an egg yesterday and he had 2 mice in his mouth already and was heading to the egg(hard boiled with a shell) and I said you can't fit that in your mouth with everything else! I swear he looked up at me and he grabbed the egg without any struggle and walked away with mice hanging out the back and a big egg. The times I wish I was ready to record!! And YES PLEASE come and meet him and I anytime!! Ogden Nature Center. You can see the other vids I've posted at kzbin.info with the other birds we have.

[@theravendiaries]

When you do start posting please know you are welcome to post your links here anytime! I, especially would love to see how a 20 year raven in captivity interacts with, well everything. I take it you saw the raven story from one I got at about 14 days old ( "Bob, Huey & Me" ) and I've been curious what would have happened I we had allowed him to stay around. We purposely encouraged him to leave, cause I really didn't want a 3 year with scissors, flying around the neighborhood, for 20 to 50 years. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seemed from the video I saw with Cronk, it appeared he might get kind of rough? I notice you wear a glove, and he seemed to use quite a bit of force to pound with his beak. I've only seen that one other time (a raven in Salinas Cal) and I don't see that even in the totally wild ravens I visit all throughout the western US. Most I've worked with are extremely gentile. I realize like humans they all have their own personality and I'd love to get to know Cronk's! Like I said post anytime you want! And thanks for sharing!

[@jadegoodell6226]

theravendiaries he has a very unique personality and yes, he can get a bit rough. In the 20 years he has been at the center, I am the first person to try and actually work with him and dedicate every day to him. When I first asked if I could they were hesitant because they knew he wouldn't react well if I didn't stick around and they were scared I wouldn't dedicate myself to it but we are 6 months in and I've only missed 2 days with him and that was when my dog just passed and when I was stricken with the flu. So his way of communicating for 20 years was with his beak, biting people. When we first started working together he bit me a lot and now he will snap at me but he only pinches me now. He can draw blood when he wants to and those talons are sharp! I am working towards no glove but one of the biggest reasons for the glove is to give him more room to stand on me, I'm a bit small in the wrist, and so that I don't get blood and guts all over me when he eats!! I'd love to tell you more and I'll share more videos as well. I discovered a new sound today and he is doing it as a new greeting, almost in excitement he will squeak! He sounds like a squeaky toy but it's only when I give him a treat and say "good!!" When we are training or right when I arrive. It's such a cool sound! I'll upload a couple more videos of him tomorrow!

[@natashanarushev3450]

The raven is mimicking the peregrine falcon with the dive.

[@sidilicious11]

I admire Ravens and love to spot them. A few years ago a Raven couple got friendly with my hiking partner and I, would find us and say hello by circling above us. Would wait for us by perching above us, and would ‘talk’ with us when we talked to them. We walked in the same wooded area nearly every day and really enjoyed our friendaship with them. They seemed to enjoy us too.

[@flashlitestriker4028]

How cool, & what an awesome picture/memory to carry with you always! : )

[@jittercritter]

The fact that they are willing to ignore boundaries to gather and have fun is such a human thing it’s insane. It’s just like humans in a neighborhood coming over to one house on a really nice summer day, Ravens Rae awesome creatures.

[@mrskinner8473]

It's like they enjoy showing off like we do

[@marleneg7794]

I saw 2 crows at the Grand Canyon communicating with each other. Locating food and even trying to hide the food from one another. It was amazing.

[@mr.kinkade2049]

They fake hide things too... to throw off witnesses. Hehe That demonstrates theory of mind. Which I thought meant a high level of consciousness and abstraction to perform. Clever sods.

[@mamavswild]

The crows are the Grand Canyon were most likely ravens.

[@RayRand]

I liked ravens and other corvids a lot already .. but now I love them even more. Thanks for sharing your amazing experiences with these magnificent creatures..

[@zephyrerazortail5478]

I live in Greenland, and the ravens here do the bomb as well!

[@theravendiaries]

I really want to visit your island! And one day I will, for the beauty, the people and the ravens!

[@randyisftw]

didn't know they spoke english in greenland

[@fennomanzoomer9547]

Damn! Greenland! Do you live in Nuuk?

[@zephyrerazortail5478]

@@randyisftw Sorry for the really late reply. English is taught in our schools, along with Greenlandic and Danish.

[@zephyrerazortail5478]

@@fennomanzoomer9547 No, I live in a tiny settlement called Tasiusaq, near the city Upernavik.

[@BarbarossaSC2]

This is some EXCELLENT camera work, or image-stabilization, jeebuz.

[@riley-garus853]

This is amazing!! Ravens/crows are such intelligent creatures, and I always just.. love learning more and more about them. They do so many goofy things just for the fun of it! Even just hopping while they walk (I've heard) is just for fun. I love these birds.

[@theravendiaries]

Me too, thanks for sharing!

[@lewistaylor8262]

Additionally, I've seen jackdaws, magpies, rooks and carrions play together in strong winds (West Midlands UK here)

[@TheAKEvans]

Hey man, I just found your channel recently and I just wanna say, I love what you do and I love how passionate you are about ravens. I'm an Alaska Native and in my tribe (Tlingit (pronounced: klink-it)) you are either classified as an eagle or a raven. I personally am a raven. I've had a falling out with my tribe over the past few years because of some social decisions they have been making recently, which I won't get into, but I will say that I feel my tribe has lost their way as Tlingits. However, your videos have helped me recognize the connection I have to these birds. I feel that even if my tribe has lost their way, that doesn't mean I have. So I truly do appreciate your videos. P.S. My favorite thing is how you thank the ravens for doing certain acts. So speaking as a raven, I will say, you're welcome, but even more, thank you.

[@theravendiaries]

Thank you TheAKEvans for your post. I enjoy knowing there are those who find a special connection to wildlife, and I think it's pretty obvious the raven is about tops on my list. As far as speaking and thanking the birds (or bears, tigers, coyotes and all the rest of the animals I talk to) I wouldn't claim these animals can distinguish specific words as much as I'm convinced they do understand things like concern, curiosity and interest. Many seem to respond in kind! I've read up on the Tlingits, and find their history and way of life and respect for the raven, fascinating!

[@TheAKEvans]

theravendiaries I know I already said it a bit, but again, really love the channel. Your passion for this is really inspiring.

[@stormysampson1257]

AK those Ravens KNOW your thoughts and feeling just by observing you. I have a Raven stump where we throw all of our edibles to the Ravens. They watch very closely. I am proud of you, AK. To stand up to your Tribe, your family, your peers with what you know and understand takes huge courage. That 'thank you' separates real humans from the Zombies!

[@spellingquestionable]

TheAKEvans - ❤️

[@momijiyamanishi4548]

I have many Raven stories. I would like to write a book from people who are credible and the stories that they have. Do you have any peculiar Raven stories? How did you become a raven?

[@nancypiccirillo405]

You have done much to educate us land animals about the raven. I find them majestic and fascinating. Thank you for all your work and sharing

[@Mountlougallops]

Too cool. Of course it’s a sign of intelligence and creativity and a sense of joy when we play. Thanks for sharing.

[@donnacarr3782]

I could watch these birds double dive and roll all day! Thank you so much for sharing 💕🌸💕🌸

[@Duane002]

I’ve always loved ravens! They’re very smart and will bring gifts to people they like!!

[@understandingitall3927]

I like their little noises!! Peep! Peep! They’re smart creatures and are very practical.

[@staceynicole8978]

ahh i love how enthusiastic you are! I love that you thank the birds!

[@donaldsavage3699]

crows and Ravens I can't believe how smart they are ... they're the best flying friends you can ever have!

[@SimonRaahauge1973]

Rakens can be quite smart too.

[@tracyobrien2816]

thank you so much for sharing this footage! and for your joyful commentary!!!

[@bonniemechefske3838]

I've found your videos after a seeing a pair of ravens in my yard a few times and wondering about them. There is so much to appreciate but I had no idea they seem such joyful fun loving creatures. I see them differently now. Thank you!

[@Kayenne54]

I had a butcher bird land under the patio awning just after a storm. At first I just listened to him idly, as he made all sorts of sounds. Then he "said" 'Bella bella' (which was the name of our dog). I realized that he was IMITATING all the sounds he could hear in his territory, including me yelling for the dog to come back (she used to chase things, like kids on bikes). As he stood there, feathers ruffled and drying out, he made every single sound of every bird that was in or near his territory, he made "yap yap" sounds like our little dog, me calling her name, me calling my son's name (this made me laugh), the sound of the next door neighbour running some kind of machine. Everything. Those sounds were his way of recalling the area of his territory. He had an AURAL MAP. I haven't seen or read anything about this anywhere. I also suspect magpies do something very similar. (Australian birds). He would have sounded, to other people, as though he was just making random noises (talking to himself) but because I listen a lot, especially to bird calls and animal sounds, that's how I theorized what he was actually doing. No animal does ANYTHING without some life preserving or life enhancing purpose. We lived right by some rainforest, so he had a lot of other birds' calls to learn and imitate. So wished I had decent recording equipment at the time.

[@linnerlu]

What an amazing experience, thank you for posting about it here.

[@juliejacobson1846]

Your joy is uplifting thank you!

[@patrikhjorth3291]

"How did the ravens know to come here and play?" I guess they all subscribe to the news letter?

[@flashlitestriker4028]

(grin!) or, "word-of-beak"?! (giggle!)

[@johncgibson4720]

Also ravens gather and ride the snow during blizzard here in northeast USA. Humans are having a hard day shoveling snow, but the birds are having fun.

[@spazmonkey3815]

I love the "Thank You", you show a respect for nature very few have...Thank you for the enlightening video.

[@spellingquestionable]

Thank you for saying, “Thank you.” I love this vignette.

[@lenwenzel7440]

My most amazing Corvid moment was when approaching a school in the bus I was driving, I came around a corner, and all I could see covering every foot of lawn, as far as I could see , maybe 100 yards or more was tens of thousands of crows. I was on a tight schedule with little ones on board and couldn't stop to film as I dearly wished to. This happened to me another day as well in a different neighbourhood. Quite a strange feeling to see such a dramatic situation up close and personal. No idea why they were there. Just loved it.

[@theravendiaries]

Maybe they where there for food? After a rain (worms), lots of bugs or during seeding time or something similar might have attracted them. Or, it might have been just a great place to gather? Thanks for the story!

[@jessehutchings]

Their voices are so amazing!!

[@Butterfly.l.p.f]

Wow! They remind me of puppies playing in the sky, I can even feel the belly flips just watching them bomb like that! What a beautiful and inspiring video, thank you!

[@theravendiaries]

Yes puppies is good, but I might say a little more like kittens. The difference being ravens tend to also use their claws and grab and bat at each other more like cats?

[@Butterfly.l.p.f]

Gotchya! My puppy comment was more related to their intelligence, but I watched again and see what you mean!

[@theravendiaries]

Yeah and especially puppy like in the play department! I never tire of watching this kind of behavior, like ... up in the air?

[@janellehoney-badger6525]

I saw a video of a crow or raven sliding down a snow covered roof, multiple times, for fun! I just love these birds but I'm fascinated by all creatures.

[@theone-mz5ut]

If I could fly, I'd be doing sweet maneuvers too.

[@Ellen-hs7zb]

Terrific filming, thank you!!

[@racheldesha]

Thank you for these wonderful videos Rick. You have only helped grow my love for ravens and all corvids, but specifically ravens. They are so special.

[@mr.holliday9456]

A few nights a week in my neighborhood we hear a raven mimicking perfectly, a car alarm. San Bernardino, ca

[@devonseamoor]

Thank you for a beautiful video, with excellent Vivaldi's 4 seasons. From close up they seem to be very intelligent, perceptive and communicative. The sounds they can make are remarkable, I now know that I've heard ravens when walking on Dartmoor.

[@lottatroublemaker6130]

So cool, they are having a ball, diving like that, just because they can and because they have fun and get a kick out of it! 👏

[@75blackviking]

I had the pleasure of meeting Rick in person today. We had a fascinating discussion about ravens in their natural habitat. This gentleman is a real scientist; He is a true subject matter expert.

[@mrxxbrian]

I like how you thank them every time they give you what you're trying to get

[@theravendiaries]

It's funny I've been involved and curious about animal behavior since childhood. I always noticed almost every animal seemed to show some level of curiosity when I talked to them. Later, when I started getting involved with the big cats, bears, and many of the so-called exotic animals, the people who talked to the animals and treated them more like a dangerous yet greatly respected friend had a relationship with the animals that was far different from those who used "fear training" which usually included shouting demands and cues. I think they may "understand" our attitude toward them much better than we may realize? Anyway, works for me!

[@frankkrumnow7194]

Just beautiful

[@hughfranklin4002]

Ravens are highly intelligent so them having fun wouldn't surprise me.

[@lydiaevanko1934]

Your videos are so great !! The Ravens are so entertaining to watch..

[@JewlofTheNile914]

I love them they r beautiful.😍

[@elizabethp2383]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!

[@theravendiaries]

Elizabeth, it is truly my pleasure and I hope they encourage you to get out in the wild and enjoy it! Thanks for participating!

[@user3141592635]

In Sweden, they mostly fly in pairs, calling "korp-korp" Nesting in places away, often on cliffs. Sometimes they sit in group of younger birds in the vicinities of cities.

[@loganmason0201]

I love them!

[@jeridoney7604]

I've watched ravens play "catch" with a stick. One will have the stick and drop it in mid air, another will tuck their wings and roll to catch it in their feet. And it was being played as a "keep away" game with more than 2 participants. They were laughing the whole time.

[@flashlitestriker4028]

Love it!!!

[@phillipburns5617]

Great post love Ravens.. Recently Ravens moved out by my house.nieghbor thought they were crows. Told him nope Ravens..odd part is I really never remember having ravens around my house before? 20 years. But they are here now!👍👍

[@theravendiaries]

Perhaps they'll nest nest Spring, and stick around?

[@0210rokvist]

This vlog was very joyfull and enlightened. I just love birds

[@jengreene958]

Fabulous footage!!!!!Thank you!!!!

[@mydarlinggirlrachae]

I live in Melbourne Australia and one day I saw a half dozen crows using a steep steel gabled roof as a slide. They would fly to the apex and then throw themselves on their backs and slide to the bottom, screaming like children as they went.

[@richtmason3792]

swifts do something similar though playing with objects is something i haven't witnessed. I have witnessed two different groups of swifts making a food ball with flies in the same way dolphins do with their prey. Enjoyed your video thank you.

[@SamtheMan0508]

I saw a bird diving like this over and over in S. Florida about 10 years ago, but I didn't think we had ravens in Florida. It was so much fun to watch and I had never seem a bird do that.

[@dubeaut]

Incredible! I’ve discovered a Raven couple behind my house. Last spring when I met them I witnessed their courting calls and air show. So beautiful! I call to them when I enter the woods and shortly after I hear them calling back. They had a nest last year near the cut line. Below the nest, I found a crow carcass. Fully intact skull! The rest was a mess. And I’ve seen them bombing there. The nest is gone now but I hear and see them still. I love them!!! I like to think they recognize me by my calls but I’m probably dreaming lol

[@coups119]

That's cool you communicate with them. It's fun to do with birds.

[@lisapeterson729]

I'm so glad to see you enjoying these Ravens! This vid has made my day thanks😊

[@Kyle_Evers]

I LOVE this video. It’s so fascinating to hear and see these unique attributes. I hope I will eventually be able to move to a place where ravens are present. Unfortunately here in Florida we only get crows instead of crows and ravens, but I guess I’ll take it :) crows are nearly as beautiful, intelligent and interesting

[@MsGlorita123]

Thank you so much for sharing such beautiful videos about Ravens… I love ravens. I have two beautiful ravens close to me, they are always around our home in Australia. They are very patient and because I have also magpies coming over, I have fun watching them all. I find Ravens don’t like fighting and they are very polite, gentle and smart. They are strategic, work as couples and communicate very well with humans. They learn fast. I find them amazing and to me all birds are a blessing to have around and they help us to get in touch with love and nature. It’s always a peaceful and relaxing experience. Overall when they trust you they will come back and even introduce their little ones to you. Thank you for the work you do. Be blessed!

[@stephenwhite3632]

I love these birds and I love this video. I have two crows in my yard for about 4 months now. I thought the were Ravens but now I know better. Can't wait for the feature to come out.

[@jaspermervin5204]

One of the coolest things I've seen Ravens do, is sledding, like a penguin ! After a fresh snow fall, I watched a pair of Ravens take turns sliding down a snow drift, and have a "snow bath" like a chicken has a dust bath !

[@KlowdZzz]

I was half expecting Peter Caine to narrate this and call me stupid lol

[@MindPalaceASMR]

I absolutelly love Ravens! Greetings from Romania! :)

[@theravendiaries]

I'm so glad to hear you do, greetings to you and if you ever visit So California stop by the Park on Wednesdays and say hi! Side note, I have a good Romanian friend who bought a new BMW that was voice controlled and had to return it cause the car couldn't understand her accent!

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

Quite a birthday present

[@BiChengYi]

My Man!!! You are one fantastical Druidic son of Nature. I love how you talk to these guys and how they hear you!

[@theravendiaries]

Funny thing is I can't even post some of it, either people won't believe, think it's dubbed and or photoshopped!

[@flashlitestriker4028]

@@theravendiaries Who cares what "they" think, Bro! Post'm anyways! : ) Some of us KNOW these cool kinda things DO happen!

[@NolaGB]

Their gathering reminded me of a magnificent Raven carnival and roller coaster. I wish I could tell for sure which I have at my house in West TN, just outside Memphis ... a rather small city. Hard for me to tell, but I keep watching and listening.

[@RedcoatsReturn]

You have a great talent for careful observation! This was marvellous! I have long admired ravens and think they are wise and magical, acrobatic creatures. They are much more intelligent than we know. Their ability to imitate, I know when they look a us they are having a joke about us and are amused when we react.

[@Oona707]

Omg Ravens are so beautiful this is making me cry

[@riseevolution]

Their feathers so Shining

[@server1ok]

They drop faster when turned. To add. If attacked from above ? they are dropping faster and facing the predator. I've seen a lot of animals protecting their back in fights, like weasels, foxes etc. When they are dropping upside down, their mind is "fantasy sparring" at the same time, that's why young birds don't do it because simultaneous abilities require mimic and long training periods. Larger Hawks do not need this ability and pigeons are extremely poor at fighting back even when facing a predator but you have similar abilities in some wild pigeons, but in this case it's for fleeing between groves and trees, turning allows for narrow passage with a larger margin of safety. I would argue, pretty much all birds have variants of the turning ability with the exception of hummingbirds who have other benefits because of a super low inertia and tolerance for acceleration. It may not look exactly like the Raven ability ? but that's a personal flavor imo.

[@flashlitestriker4028]

Fascinating!

[@susankeable588]

Loved your video And the birds are so relaxing to watch, thanks

[@theravendiaries]

unless you're a cat, then not so relaxing, invigorating maybe,

[@hikhuphoenix4107]

We don't have ravens where we're from - it's quite sad. But crows (specifically carrion crows) are still fascinating; many of these traits are seen in them (though, as you say, definitely not all of them).

[@jackolantern4187]

I have about 20 raven friends that I feed at the local store.

[@JoeMCool]

Where do you live? Maybe you don't have North American Ravens, but likely you have another type of corvid.

[@jessedalton2008]

I love your passion for ravens.

[@shawnhambler]

Raven personality: always something shiny on the horizon

[@jefftrout7697]

ravens are the best mimics? Lyrebird, "Here, hold my beer."

[@theravendiaries]

Hi Jeff, it's my understanding both ravens and Lyrebirds can mimic any sound "they choose to!"

[@patrickmayer9566]

Yes,exactly!!!I've watched them pass things,chase,play..hillarious!!!while deer hunting,late fall,I've heard the best sounds on cold , quiet,days that sound different than any other time...plus the sound travels..thanks,land o' lakes,wi.usa..my favorite birds ever,so smart and fun to see!!they do stick close together,my closet group is nesting about 200 feet from my house,and swoop low before reaching the tree their best is in and shoot up fast to it quick, to hide where it's location!!!while last year's babies cry for more food!!!...peace.😐

[@theravendiaries]

"Amelia the Pilot" - As I download this I think of other unique things in life. I get to meet a lot of great and interesting people with all I get to do, but every once in a while one just "soars." Recently, an incredible young woman, was, to me, a unique act of God that could only be His timing. This gift, came as a complete stranger, yet provided me a living reminder of the beauty and hope that can be found in the human heart! Take time, look! Life is truly magical beyond belief!

[@paulaswann4851]

Thank you. Beautiful and inf

[@liisavarhalla6348]

I just found you...love ravens and crows. This is wonderful.

[@babloo1666]

How creepy huh the raven retelling a joke

[@liisavarhalla6348]

Ty. A beautiful start to this morning.

[@Tadjuel11-11]

I'm surprised you haven't seen, mention, or filmed any hawks with ravens having fun. I've watched redtails, sharp shined, and other hawks that will play the same play testing each other's skills. I've seen a redtail actually while playing together, catch the raven buy let it loose to keep playing and testing their skills. I think I still have video of 2 of these incidences. It's the most amazing thing to watch these two kinds of birds go at each other really trying to outdo each other. Wish I could let you see the videos. I've watched for hours this display go on between the two.

[@petermyers479]

I pulled into an overlook on The Flamingo Trail in The Everglades years ago. The trees were filled with Ravens. They screamed at us for entering their parking lot, they dropped twigs and berries on us and followed us along the trail with running commentary. They are my favorite bird of all. Oh yeah, when my wife got too close to their trash can, they gathered as if to run her off. They took exception to our dogs but didn’t do anything overt to them because they were leashed I suppose. We saw snakes, gators and some other unique birds but in my opinion, none so interesting as The Raven. Best most memorable thing about that trip to The Everglades was the Ravens. Very talkative birds.

[@barbarawashington844]

They are so smart!

[@THEmightyQUINN777]

I saw a huge gathering of Ravens in 2011. We were camping in Richfield Utah. Up on the Paiute trail in the FishLake mountains. We rode our ATVs up into the mountains. There was a enormous flock of large black birds soaring and playing in the wind currents. There were several hundreds of these daring flyers and they were amazing and fascinating. I assume they were ravens because they were so big. The next day we rode again and the birds were still flying. We rode to the other side of the mountains which were thick with aspen groves. The ravens started flying and diving through the trees. At first it seemed like they were chasing us but they were playing. They’d sit on branches and laugh at us. It was wonderful. Been riding up there again numerous times but haven’t seen any other gatherings. It’s kind of close to Bryce.

[@theravendiaries]

Yes a beautiful area to be in! Most likely ravens cause crows generally don't venture so far from the city. Do you happen to remember the time of year? I see the largest gatherings mostly in fall to early winter when many of the young that were born that year will meet up with others born a couple years earlier, and they just play! One time at the Grand Canyon I saw many hundreds to perhaps more than thousand make what looked like a huge black roller coast that hung mid sky and was about 2 miles long. They were chasing each other all over going against the wind, then they's peel off and go with the wind to get back in line to do it a again! Sounds like you saw something similar? Thanks for sharing!

[@THEmightyQUINN777]

theravendiaries -- it was late July. Must have been 300 or so. It was very mystical.

[@theravendiaries]

@@THEmightyQUINN777 Wow, great story thanks again for sharing. We are headed to Bryce as soon as this whole thing let's up!

[@erikhoff5010]

New Subscriber here. I believe the Ravens know that you are observing them and you are a friend. The Grand Canyon Ravens knew it was your Birthday and gave you a present! Food for thought, Skal!

[@Mommapunkin]

Did you forget about the lyre bird? I believe they can makes more sounds then the Raven.. They can mimic every sound that they hear. If they hear a chainsaw or a cellhone and ever mimic the sounds of other birds. It doesn't matter what the hear they can mimic it, they are an awesome bird to hear...

[@theravendiaries]

Nope, I didn't forget, if you scroll down you will see your not alone there are others who have brought up the lyre bird and number of others. They of course are all correct but in my defense I was just making a case that "nobody makes more sounds than a raven" cause a raven can also mimic everything it hears. What I didn't mention, and probably should have? is that there are other birds also capable of mimicking everything they hear? Thanks for sharing Deloris!

[@davidgreen5099]

@@theravendiaries in fairnes, i believe that the raven is far more intelligent than the lyre bird.

[@theravendiaries]

I'd agree, but the poster was referring to the sounds they make, and on that note ... they are about the same.

[@elonmust7470]

Howdy from Brookings OR! As a timber faller from the northern border; I've had relationships with birds on every tract of timber I've ever cut. Crows, Ravens, Redtails Peregrines, they all love checking my work & seeing if there're any rodents to gobble up. The crows also keep a close watch on lunchtime! I always look for nests & never disturb an inhabited tree.

[@flashlitestriker4028]

How cool! Thanks for caring for the little critters!

[@AlexanderTothGolf]

i love Ravens... but don't Peregrine Falcon's dive in a similar manner?

[@theravendiaries]

Yes, it's called a stoop, but the falcons in my area seem to only do it to attack, whereas the ravens seem to do it for, what? Fun? No reason? Cause they can? Thing is I don't know, I just know they do it and sometimes they will continue to do it for 1/2 an hour to an hour on windy days. Sometimes they are all by themselves, no one else around just seemly playing and entertaining themselves. I, personally, haven't see the falcons doing anything like that.

[@kingdavidapple]

The only falcon play I have seen so far (and must admit to fewer hours watching falcons than watching ravens) was a female Am. kestrel riding a pressure ridge, motionless in the air. A gang of crows came to harass her. Suddenly she caught the wind in a quick rise, clenched a foot and dove on the crows. Back and forth with amazing agility, knocking feathers loose. The crows scattered. She hung in air until they came back - which they did. This went on for half an hour. Unforgettable!

[@theravendiaries]

What fun! Kestrels are amazing flyers!

[@marysantillo3725]

I love the way that you tell them, thank you

[@BikkiBlazes]

Hows it going. here in Pennsylvania I've seen another bird do a sort of dive. A Sparrow or something small like that. I don't know what it was.. but what it did was similar to the Ravens bombing except it related to car windshear. A car ahead of me was on the merge ramp to get on the highway (248) . this bird dived toward the windshield and used the windscreen pushing of air to propel it into the air; its as if it knew the wind around cars was accelerated. The bird went up the wind column above the car, folded its wings and came back down .. like it was on a skateboard half pipe or something like that.

[@theravendiaries]

I love stories like that! Animals (and birds) never cease to amaze and surprise me. But so many people don't take the time to just watch. Thanks for participating and sharing!

[@flashlitestriker4028]

Wow, Nexis... that makes what I experienced in 2003 now make perfect sense! I've loved birds & animals for decades... yet one day when I was driving (I was driving an 18-wheeler), & I forget now which State I was in, but I was on either in Interstate or a State Hwy, A BIRD FLEW STRAIGHT AT/TO my WINDSHIELD... & HIT IT! I was SO heartbroken!, & SO confused! It was like (& I was more superstitious & fear-based back then), "Did I DO something WRONG/BAD sometime/somewhere, & something horrid like this has just "come back to punish me???" (cuz the bird instantly died, but I kept feeling ALL the PAIN!) Anyhow, having (especially today, through this video & all the comments) learned so much more about HOW some of these birds CAN "think/plan/remember things through... perhaps my dear birdy that flew (purposely) toward my windshield THOUGHT that my truck's windshield would "work" "just like" normal car windshields... but it didn't, thus the poor feathered daredevil lookin for fun lost his life instead! I remember thinkin, even way back THEN, "Dear God, I hope OTHER nirds SAW that happen SO they'll NOT ever think it's safe to play with big trucks!" Anyhow, thanks for sharing your comment.