On August 28 in West Palm Beach, an 18-year-old man awaited the verdict on the crimes with which he was charged – 14 felonies that included burglary, kidnapping, five counts of sexual battery with great force, and the savage act of forcing a mother and son into sexual acts together. He was one of ten youths involved in the ruthless assault and gang rape against the 37-year-old woman and her 12-year-old son, a crime that shocked the community for its brutality. Moments before the verdict was read, a murder of black crows hovered outside the windows of the courtroom, filling the gray sky.
The reckoning came with the crows. Nathan Walker and another defendant was convicted of 11 felonies and now faces life in prison. More trials in the case are coming.
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The phrase, “murder of crows,” may have originated from a fallacious folk tale that crows form tribunals to judge and punish the bad behavior of a member of the flock. If the verdict goes against the defendant, that bird is killed – murdered – by the flock. The basis in fact is probably that crows sometimes will kill a dying crow who doesn’t belong in their territory or much more commonly feed on carcasses of dead crows. Crows are associated with battlefields, medieval hospitals, execution sites and cemeteries.
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Throughout history, birds have served as synchronistic symbols that reflect events. So we weren’t surprised when we opened the newspaper one morning and read about how a flock of vultures are nesting on the roof of a home where the mayor of West Palm Beach resides. The city and county governments in recent years have wallowed in corruption and several city and county commissioners have gone to prison. The corruption has been so extensive that the FBI set up a permanent office in West Palm Beach investigating government corruption. While the mayor has not been implicated, the FBI says that more indictments are coming.
Clearly, from the mayor’s point of view, it appears that vultures are waiting to attack their next target. Vultures eat carrion, and interestingly, every indicted elected official has immediately pleaded guilty–knowing that the FBI has the goods on them, and they are dead meat, so to speak. Recently, one opponent of the mayor wrapped her home in toilet paper. But the perpetrator got the wrong house. The mayor’s luck continues…so far.
Thanks, Celeste! Honestly, the photos of food on your blog & the descriptions are mouth-watering good!
I am so glad Megan's skydive went well in the end! It is all very interesting, and driving back and forth between Madrid and Lisbon we have had a bird or two hit the windshield. Have to pay more attention to what happens afterwards.
Thanks for your comment. It is a deal, anytime you come to Spain or Portugal, you come and eat at the house.
Thanks for this, Jim. Never heard it before. But whenever I see crows sitting along a telephone wire, all of them cawing, storytelling is the first thought that comes to mind!
– Trish
Mysterious nature writers sometimes refer to "A Murder of Crows" as "A Storytelling of Crows"
Greast story, Ray. Pretty amazing, actually. After I read your post – "a story to tell rather than a tragedy" & Rob and I started talking about the events this afternoon, a bunch of other details about all this occurred to me. It's going up as a post tomorrow. So thank you for your kind words and for saying exactly the right thing that enabled me to make some connections.
– Trish
I love crows. They are much nicer neighbors than the seagulls. The crows and grackles seem to have evicted the seagulls.
In 2005 when I was in Sasebo Japan as is the usual custom on a Navy base five minutes before sunsest when the flag is taken down at what is called evening colors a whistle was blown over a loudspeaker three times. After the last sound of the whistle the crows flying overhead cawed three times at the same interval as the three whistle toots. Crows truly are remarkable birds.
I am so happy that Megan's skydive turned out to be a story for her to tell rather than a tragedy for all of you.
Ray
Driving back from the skydive, we were confronted over and over again by skydiving swallows that swept across the hood of our car. On our last trip, ten days ago, through that section of former Everglades, now sugar cane fields, two of the swallows hit the windshield.
Nothing happened in the aftermath, although, today Megan's primary parachute became tangled so it had to be cut free, and the secondary chute released. We saw it happen, too.
Rob
I love crows, too. They're incredibly intelligent and, like all animals, do seem to be synchronistic indicators. We'll check out all these links. We were across the state today for Megan's 20th birthday skydive.
I don't think I've ever heard the phrase, "murder of crows." It's kind of creepy.
Growing up, my mom always told us that if birds sang at night, that meant that someone was going to die, or be extremely ill. Also, if it crashed into your windshield while driving, that was an omen of death also. I don't really believe that, but sometimes in the back of my mind, when I hear birds singing at night, it makes me wonder.
Thanks for sharing!
This brought to mind a National Geographic article I read a while back (crows are mentioned in it).
https://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/03/animal-minds/virginia-morell-text
Enjoy your day!
what a fascinating story – well, actually, "stories" – each of them in their own way – it's been a long, long time since i heard the phrase "murder of crows" and i'd forgotten its roots – great post!
I love crows, too. They are so intelligent. After reading a post by Phantsythat, I can never feel anything but respect for crows:
https://phantsythat.blogspot.com/2009/02/big-bird-brains.html
As for the mayor, I think the life force is about to go against him.
Very interesting story. I love crows, they are very intelligent birds. Being from Africa, I am used to them. And when I go to India I love their watchful eyes as I swim in the pool. And every morning at breakfast they come and wait and when you are distracted they will come and steal a cube of sugar or anything good from the tables.
Scary and itcky. It goes to show that we have invented and affixed labels up and down the universe to remind us of important concepts.
Oops! *hang out. Not hand out.
Creepy! We have a crow ISSUE in our neighborhood. They hand out in the tree next to our house and squawk incessantly- EARLY in the morning… Another sign that we should move!
WOW…really interesting! I will think of this story next time I see crows for sure!
Very interesting post. Thanks guys. 😀