My favorite thing that the family in my yard does is when they bring the fledglings into my yard for food. I love seeing the young crows, and I love watching them loudly beg their parents for peanuts. I also like it when the fledglings hang around in my yard. Two years ago there were two that were especially curious and would watch me whenever I was in the yard. They were talkative and so funny. I loved having them around.  Sometimes the fledglings resist opening the peanuts by themselves and look like they get frustrated and annoyed; they keep up that loud aaaaa aaaaa aaaaa call until the parents or siblings open a shell for them and feed them. Honestly, the west Nile business terrifies me. There was such a scare about it a few years ago here (in New Orleans). It’s heartbreaking, and I’m sorry for anyone who was observing birds who died from it.

Wear bug spray - West Nile is no joke!

To help slow the spread of West Nile Virus, eliminate mosquito breeding habitats; containers left outside neglected that collect water.  I don't own a pond but I think there are things that can be added to the water to discourage mosquito breeding, don't know how safe these things are.  Also creating a dragonfly habitat, dragonflies eat mosquitoes like I go through popcorn!

Re #2 - Crows make so many different sounds!

I "think" (since I don't have the ability to tag) that I have had a pair who had two babies who are currently regular visitors. There was a new baby this year. I remember when the two babies were young and hung out in the back yard. You could see their cute young bird head shapes and watch their their games. One would carry sticks around in a way that made me think that she was "playing house." The chickadees and oak titmice that come bring their babies, looking sleek and plump while the parents look bedraggled, but they became a pair again soon after.

When I put out food, the new kids often come first. They will pick up the food and wait for the parents. When they show up the parent takes it.  The kid the goes into the feed me posture and call, then the parent feeds back to them.