I’m trying to practice requisite variety - looking for multiple responses to a given situation. After all, it’s what Darwin proclaimed would decide what species made it: the ones with many ways of adapting to the environment. Unfortunately, sometimes I am stuck with a singular way of thinking about something.
Like my thinking about crows.
My neighborhood has seen an infestation of crows. These black, dive bombing, cackling birds have scared away my song birds, left poop all over my patio, and even swooped down and snatched my sandwich when I turned my back. A scarecrow didn’t work, spikes don’t work, and poison is out of the question. Vector control also refuses to trap and relocate them.
Requisite variety finally came into play when the neighborhood office hired a falconer. A falconer! Who knew that training birds of prey was a profession in my town.? Imagine, swooping, whistling hawks across the sky. There’s no bloodshed. These predators are trained to merely haze the birds until they decide not to return.
Wow…just scare those pesky birds. Genius. A natural, green and sustainable activity. A very different viewing point and perfect.
Now that’s one for the books.