So I go into the Best Western Parking lot to feed the crows. That way I'm off the property and there's no complaints.
The crows, I've had complaints that they've been cawing outside nonstop looking to be fed. I don't give in. This would be training them in behaviours I'd rather not.
And the other day I awoke to one on the railing outside my door. Waiting for me. Funny, I feed them on the other side of the building, but they've found me out. Clever. There's no feeding them here, though, there would be complaints and evictions...
But when I'm outside in the morning, pocket full of Dollarama peanuts, I set up a sort of scrimmage, a football game, flicking the peanuts into the parking lot - they prefer the shelled ones. And even if I can't see them they soon see me and chaos ensues.
First 1, then 2, 3, 5, 8...all hopping along, one swoops in and catches a peanut on the wing, others, shy, fly close and then hops carefully towards it, too shy and he loses it to another, others show up and chase each other away, some - 1 greedy, attempts to take 2, 3 in his beak, but often loses them when challenged by another, pigeons by the dozen now showing up and running interference, a peanut is too big but they can gather up the crumbs from the crows pecking...
Make it a game, try and flick the peanuts where each crow has a reasonable chance of grabbing his own, it's like football and I'm the quarterback, they seem to get it, going wide when they've finished their peanut for another...
This is the morning, before my coffee and maybe again after it's ready and I've checked the news. In the afternoon they're on their own, although I've still been followed, I'm trying to set up the expectation that this is an early morning thing, not an all-day thing, the early-morning football and then they too should be off and about their day...