Editor,
I have the mixed blessing of working from home. The commute I can handle, but the noise…
The quiet is often interrupted by noisy cars, trucks, Harleys, and leafblowers, but the most common commotion comes from crows.
Over the years I have observed the crow population increase to alarming numbers. Unlike songbirds, which are a sign of a healthy habitat, crows convey a corrupted community. Black birds in literature are used to portend evil and doom. What are the crows trying to tell us?
I am aware that crows are smart and social, but so is the clientele of most of our restaurants. I doubt, however, anyone would tolerate crow-like noise coming from inebriated and well-fed patrons.
We also have a pigeon problem, which is most visible downtown. A single pigeon carries enough disease to hospitalize a battalion of troops, but we go on letting their population explode. I see no signs to discourage pigeon feeding and I see no effort from the city to at least impede their breeding. In fact, our confused homeless frequently feed pigeons. Of all the people who need to be protected from disease, the homeless are at the top of the list.
Oh, and seagulls. Those magnificent white-plumed gulls gracing our shores and skies. Let us not forget where they spend most of their time – at the landfill rummaging through diapers and trash. Is this really what we want to welcome to our seaside sanctuary?
Mike Rybah, Laguna Beach
