Personal Narrative: The American Crow Chicks

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Chicks: After the eggs have hatched, the adult American Crows become noisy defenders of their nest in order to protect their newborn chicks. Approximately three days later, the adult American Crows begin to leave their nest to scavenge for food for both their chicks and themselves. The American Crow chicks start to howl a nasal caw at their parents for food. The American Crow chicks grow quickly in comparison to most other birds. The chicks fledge from the nest at approximately four weeks after hatching. Although, the American Crow chicks continue to be fed by the adults for roughly another 30 days.

I cannot get up. I just cannot. There is no way I will ever be able to move again. A tear dribbled down my face. I was a turtle trapped lying

As the TIT, I wanted to share with other kids the same experiences that I had as a camper. My experiences at this camp became cyclical, as I was fortunate enough to staff a similar fifteen-day canoe trip. Like my friends and me several years ago, the campers struggled during the first couple of days as they were adjusting to the tripping lifestyle.

I vividly remember one of my campers, Ben “Marv” Canvasser stuck up to his shoulders in the mud. I thought, oh man, this is funny! I immediately went to dig him out from the quicksand-like mud. “Hurry” he screeched as he began to cry. Mid-dig, I began to comfort him by offering my soap to wash-up in the lake when we get to the campsite. Being macho Marv, he to this day denies that he cried. As the tripper in training, I knew the truth but I recognized Marv’s narrative was important to him.

All of a sudden, I felt I found my calling was to be there to keep the morale of the campers, such as Marv, up. The portages were still through bug-infested woods and many of the lakes maintained their whitecap waves. But there was no Nate. I need to be like