#0027 | protective mothers

Submitted by Matthew in Vancouver, Canada.

Here’s Matthew’s story:

“The other morning I woke up early and took my six year-old son to the store to buy milk and fresh fruit for breakfast. Little did I realize that our routine journey would turn into a harrowing encounter with the natural world.

As we stepped out of the car and into the supermarket parking lot I was cautioned by a few onlookers to watch out for a momma crow who was dive-bombing anyone who came within 30 feet of her tree. Apparently her baby had fallen out of the tree and her protective instincts were in over-drive. She was making it abundantly clear that anyone who came even remotely close would be subject to her wrath. I knew enough about these cunning creatures to take this warning seriously.

As result, my son and I had to take a circular route away from the tree, always looking upwards in anticipation of this impending threat. With our hands clutched tightly together we made a mad dash across the parking lot, relieved to find sanctuary in the nearby supermarket.

Later on at the checkout, the cashier told us that she and a co-worker were attacked by the same crow earlier that morning. My son’s eye lit up as the cashier recounted the dramatic tale of how part of her friend’s hair had been ripped out by this aggressive bird. This only increased the intensity of our mad rush back to the car, as we hoped to avoid the same fate ourselves.

It was a rather magical start to our day!”