I have never really been an admirer of crows; but not so long ago, I happened to witness a pair of crows indulging in the act of making a nest. This nest was being built on a tree that my window faces. It was for the very first time in my life that I saw two crows engaging in a patient and a mindful activity, and not rapaciously fighting for their share from a dead mouse. It was also the first time that I wasn’t scared to look at a crow for a long period of time, else, I’d always find myself overwhelmed by their gaze and colour.

I began observing them sometime in the month of April. Their struggle to accommodate the raw materials for their nest, in a valley of branches was very evident, so much so that after a few weeks, it made me want to build their nest for them.

Observing them became an activity for me that I took up consciously in order to change my perception of crows and to keep a tab on their progress. I started hoping that their quest for finding raw materials for the nest was successful and safe; because surely one of them might be pregnant (Is that the word you use for “to-be mother” birds too? No clue).

During the course of this observation, I realized how skillful birds are in general with regards to manipulating different objects to suit their purpose, (here, making a nest); finding objects with the right amount of malleability to fit their requirement, and most importantly, NOT GIVING UP! Their dedication inspired me and made me think about their level of cognition. They certainly do have some GOOD planning skills and craftsmanship! I mean, I literally saw that crow weave a plastic thread between other twigs to create a base for the nest; that was a mind-blowing sight. Doing that with nothing but a beak and two legs!

I never thought I’d say this, but watching these crows working on their nest has been a beautiful experience for me. It made me aware of my surroundings, and the fact that zooming out from the thought of “me, myself and I” is actually a liberating experience and helps in broadening your perspective about reality.

Friendly suggestion: Take a break; look around. If you are surrounded by trees, nothing like it! Sit by the window and notice everything about that tree or whatever greenery you have around you. Allow Nature to surprise you!

PS: The significance of the title lies in the tree’s position with respect to mine. ‘Withering’ because there are fewer leaves on this tree as a result of the weather these days (this made the viewing of the nest-building easier for me). ‘Heights’ because of the relativity of the term; the view of the nest that I get from my window is different from the one that I get when I am standing below that tree.