I have always loved the crows around The Cabin Path. They are the "watch dogs" in the woods. I learned many years ago to listen to their warnings, and other animals also respect their caws. They sound the alert for coyotes, fox, cats, dogs, hawks and even people in the woods!
Cornell has a wonderful site to learn more about crows.

Last year, I heard an unusual sound from the woods.  It reminded me of the "beep, beep" of a truck backing up. After several days of waiting and watching, I discovered that the sound was coming from a crow! My research of crows lead me to the fact that will often mimic sounds of other birds and sounds.  I strongly suspect that this poor creature sat and watched as construction bulldozers and trucks took apart its habitat back in the building boom days!

I have also studied about "animal messengers and animal totems" throughout history, and especially important to American Indians. Many legends and stories have been passed down about animals, and the crow is often the trickster, but it also serves as a spirit protector and guide. I have learned to pay attention to my surroundings when I hear the crows.  Ted Andrews wrote many books about animal spirit guides, and there are many sites online that discuss animal totems. One site wrote:
"Crow teaches us to know ourselves beyond the limitations of one-dimensional thinking and laws. It is about bringing magic into our lives. This animal teaches to appreciate the many dimensions both of reality and ourselves, and to learn to trust our intuition and personal integrity. There is magic wherever crows are. They give us the message that there is magic alive in our world and this magic is ours to use and create a new world for ourselves ."

Yesterday was Memorial Day.  I wrote about my Dad, a WWII veteran and POW.  I returned to the website of the 303rd Bomb Group, and I was reminded that the nose art on my Dad's plane was "Old Crow".....another link to this messenger in the woods, and another reason to love this creature.