[tn-bird] Dogfight at Shelby Forest

Yesterday morning, my dog, Grif, and I went for a brief outing to the boat 
ramp on Old Man River at Shelby Forest State Park.  As we returned, we 
noticed a small murder of crows flying agitatedly out of the forest on the 
south side of the road and over the soybean desert on the north side.  
Moments later, a Cooper hawk emerged, pursued the crows for a moment, then 
landed in a tree next to the bean field.  No more had the hawk got settled 
than another crow, slower or stupider than the others, appeared from the 
woods, cawing excitedly after his companions.  The hawk took this as an 
invitation.  It leapt after the late arrival and chased it over the field.  
The crow may have been inept, but it did not lack moxie.  Somehow, it got 
above and behind the Cooper and counterattacked.  After some fancy flying on 
the part of both birds, the hawk broke off the engagement and returned to the 
forest.  The crow, missing a few feathers but with life and honor intact, was 
last seen flying after his friends.

Closer to home we observed a family of 10 wild turkeys crossing the road just 
inside the park boundary.

Van Harris
Millington, TN

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