Menacing Crows

* I was not surprised to read Valerie Reitman’s Aug. 10 article about crows that terrorize Tokyo residents. When I lived there in 1988 and walked to work along streets early in the morning, I was often skittish about getting close to small groups of crows feasting on garbage. And a friend admitted she couldn’t wait to leave Tokyo because: “No more black crows!”

But the article hit closer to home. In June, when walking on a quiet street in Oceanside, a crow barked at me threateningly from a low branch. Showing some chutzpah, I glared at it. But after I passed, it dive-bombed my head! No injuries (except to my confidence). Since then, I am reluctant to make eye contact with crows, yes, even from windows! It’s possible I’m losing it, but the article at least helped me feel that my crow terror is not totally irrational. Crow haters, unite!

ELAINE HALLECK

Carlsbad

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* The crows are a terror here, too. They plunder and kill the songbirds, destroying their nests and their young, and use their intelligence, size and aggressiveness to take over whole neighborhoods. Crows have no natural enemies; they are protected by law and increase in large numbers. Beware the crow.

PATRICK F. FLYNN

Yorba Linda