The Summer of Shadow

The Summer of Shadow

by Pat Payne

Trafford Publishing

reviewed by Caroline Blaha-Black

THE US REVIEW OF BOOKS

"That evening Shadow was not inclined to fly to the roof to seek a roost due to his drooping or re-sprained wing, so we resurrected his intermediate cage and placed it on the ledge of the front bedroom bay window where he spent the night in safety."

Shadow, a fledgling crow, was rescued and rehabilitated by the author and released back into the wild. Payne shares the crow's journey, highlighting Shadow's many trials and tribulationsbeing rescued, learning to fly, meeting other crows, and finally making full transition back into the wilderness.

The author discovered the injured young crow on the forest floor, and he took him home to rehabilitate him, along with his wife, Dot. Payne describes with much delight the few months that he spent with the bird and the many habits and behaviors that the crow developed while with his human family. Crows are known for their intelligence and the ability to figure things out, which is highlighted in this book: Shadow stashing food, communicating with Payne to make his presence known, pestering the family dog with a stick, or bringing other crows over for a visit, there is no shortage of clever things that Shadow entertains the reader with. Also interesting to note are the first days of flight and meeting other crows around the author's home atop a Missouri Ozark ridge. Especially touching is Shadow's interaction with the author and his subsequent visits to the author's home upon his complete return to the wild.

Colored photographs of Shadow, the people who raised him, and Murphy, the family dog, are scattered throughout the book, making it a visual treat for the reader. This is a great read for the lovers of crows and ravens, wildlife rehabilitators, and anyone with the interest in learning more about birds in general.