Today we're having a sunny day, even if also very windy. I extended my walk to the park in the city centre, going one way there, and another way back. Above is another impressive display of purple rhododendrons in the park.
Along the river on my way back home, I spotted this purple plant (popular with the bees):
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| Symphytum officinale |
At home, I uploaded my photo to Google Image Search and found that...
Symphytum officinale is a perennial flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. Along with thirty four other species of Symphytum, it is known as comfrey (from the Latin confervere, to 'heal' or literally to 'boil together', referring to uses in ancient traditional medicine). Over centuries, it was cultivated in Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom as a vegetable and herbal medicine. (N.B. Internal or long-term topical use of comfrey is discouraged due to its strong potential to cause liver toxicity.) The Swedish name is äkta vallört. It's not native to Sweden but was imported and has spread so that it can now be found in the wild.
I also passed by the spot in the cemetery where yesterday I was almost hit (!) by a fledgeling crow falling to the ground from a tree...
Photo from yesterday
I was glad not to find any traces of the bird today. I imagine that after recovering a bit from the shock, if it still was not able to fly, it may have taken shelter under a hedge nearby.
When googling, I also got this info from AI:
It's common for baby crows (fledged or recently fledged) to be seen on the ground, as they are learning to fly and practice their skills. Parents will continue to feed them on the ground during this stage. After leaving the nest, baby crows need time to practice flying. They may spend time on the ground or in nearby trees, hopping, running, and attempting short flights. Even when on the ground, parents will continue to feed the fledgling --- This ground-based learning is crucial for the fledglings to develop the strength and coordination needed for proper flight. --- Seeing a baby crow on the ground doesn't mean it's been abandoned. It's a natural part of their development.
Comments on yesterday's post included some varied suggestions as to what kind of bird it was. For my own part, I had no difficulty identifying it as what here in Sweden we call a "grey crow" (Swedish: gråkråka) - or commonly, just "crow"... Additional online research informs me that the Latin name is corvus cornix, and that in English it's known as "hooded crow". But it's an Eurasian bird, so friends living in other parts of the world are not likely to be familiar with it.
AI sums it up:
Hooded Crow vs Magpie: Magpies are black and white birds with long tails, while hooded crows are grey with a black head, wings, and tail. Magpies have a melodious call, while hooded crows have a caw-like call.
Hooded Crow vs Jackdaw: The hooded crow is larger than the jackdaw, has a black head, a light grey back, and light grey underparts, whereas the jackdaw is smaller, with black plumage and a grey nape. The hooded crow also has dark brown eyes, while the jackdaw has distinctive pale grey eyes.
For my own part, grey crows and magpies were probably among the first birds I learned to recognise, way back in my childhood. I especially associate crows with my paternal grandmother, because she used to throw out left-over boiled potates for them in her garden. I think she's the only person I've ever known who "encouraged" visits by crows, by feeding them!
AI: "Crows are omnivores and eat a wide variety of foods, including insects, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, small animals, and even carrion. They are also known to scavenge for food in garbage and even steal food from other animals."
