The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-02-06
Strategy Compounded by D. NJ Swink
Confounds Thieving Crows in Hyde
Swan Quarter Mans Ingenuity Has Saved Crop
Tine Being But He Still Has His Fingers Crossed
By CARL GoERCH in The State

learned long ago not 70 par any
attention 70 than Tn= -vz1=rz
just laughed a. the g-csszgz= Sg-
ures Mr.. Swink put - al ven.
right On s~iping pears
NJ. s~iak did 10. :: =o-yzzg
and also little czzzt-s a. Ls zE
Eis p=cz1s DISAPPEARING -zpzy-
He wrote the Scz:e College *
tezzioa Service and zlso c5=s5 q
Z=t help from othsr scEces, TX
11dody seemed 20 have ( vEy clear
-c@z hoE % dez! Ei.h cae p-U5,e--
Nr. S~irk was sitting Il his
--T1E--pou o1= everizg, breeding
oTe- td= Situation, -he1 all Of
s-1-ez bright idea hit him. II he
-z1 hen taxing : ba:h a. the tine
ard Z Ls had been Al ancient Ro-
-zr- IL probably would have
E2E1g - and dashed down the
pared Eosd II front Of mis- farm,
yelling ~E1reka," This, however,
probably would have startled not
only the crows but also the sedate
residents Of Hyde County. Achime-
des got by with it in Rome, but
Swan Quarter is considerably diff
ferent from Rome.
Anyway, the next morning, Mr..
Swink proceeded to carry out the
idea that had come to mind.
A Unique Plan
He rugged up several loud-speak-
ers in different parts Of the pecan
groce and connected them with a
radio which he placed on the
ground under a rainproof shelter.
Then he turned on the radio. He
turned it on full blast and awaited
developments.
He didn't have long to wait.
A flock of crows, eager to rob
the grove of its delectable nuts,
showed up in the sky. They headed
straight for the pecan trees. They
got within a short distance of their
destination when, all of a sudden,
the leaders put on brakes. Their
wings futtered with extra rapidity
as they made hurried turn and
got away from there just as quick
ly as possible.
And you can't blame them.
Put yourself in the position of
one Of those crows. How would you
like it if you were approaching a
grove of pecan trees and a stem
torian voice beloved out: "The
fighting in Korea was on an extern
sive scale today with heavy casual
ties on both Sides" Or if you heard
shrill female voice screaming:
Two cups of -four, one shredded
dog biscuit, can of spinach, threa
hardboiled eggs, mix thoroughly
and bake in slow oven"
It's disconcerting, to say the
least, and the crows found it so.
Sometimes, as they approached
the grove, they'd hear a band play
ing STARS and Stripes Forever"
or on Sundays they'd hear some
preacher delivering a powerful
sermon.
A DiscOuraging Process
For several days the crows con-
tinued to fly toward the field but
their humber became smaller and
smaller. And then they ceased com.
ing altogether.
Chances are that some of the
older crows met together in a sort
of family council and decided that
it was unsafe to be in the vicinity
of a place with so many people
hanging around, singing, talking
and playing music-even though
they could see no one.
And that's how the situation
stands at the present time. Mr.
Swink is very happy and the crows
are unhappy. There's just one
thing that is worrying him. You
see, the crow is a very smart bird
and it may be that eventually they
will figure this thing out and they
won't pay any more attention to
THE Road to Mandalay" than they
| now do to fence post.
In other words, Mr.. Swink al
the present time has his fingers
crossed.