The Ravens of Snover Canyon
Sharing the shelf with Bernd Heinrich’s Mind of the Raven and John Marzluff’s Gifts of the Crow, The Ravens of Snover Canyon asks us to reconsider our perceptions of the often-vilified raven.
Using a wealth of research to provide a background on the species, Philip I. Moynihan uses his documentation, made with painstaking detail over the course of several years, to showcase the bright intellect of a pair of mated ravens found living behind his home. Grasping the rare opportunity to capture the details of the pair’s nesting period, Moynihan catalogues the wondrous birth of their nestlings, their first leaps of flight, and the process in which they learn to survive in the wilderness. When tragedy strikes the raven family, Moynihan shares his reflections on the aftermath as well as the eventual, uplifting cycle of renewal that follows.
Bird watchers, nature lovers, animal enthusiasts, and ornithologists will all be riveted by Moynihan’s level of detail, vivid description, and gorgeous accompanying photographs. Amateur and expert alike will find the raven family’s behavior fascinating for its confirmation of or deviation from earlier assumptions on the species and for this work’s ability to reveal a new and fascinating perspective on these remarkable beings.
Amazon Customer Reviews
by Kindle Customer
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2016
(5) star rating
Fascinating and touching account of observing ravens
Reading Mr. Moynihan’s observations about two pair-bonded ravens and their family was spellbinding. Getting the chance to experience their special camaraderie will stay with me for a long time. Well worth reading!
by Frances Y.
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2018
(5) star rating
Amazing bird observations
This book is a great read for all ages. It puts you in touch with a community of ravens that live near kibble-feeding humans. The birds benefit and the humans get to see ravens raising the next generation. My girlfriend has a crow that waits for her to put out treats. Maybe I can be so lucky one day.
by Barbara
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2019
(5) star rating
This is a really good read!
I chose this book for two reasons. I have long been a fan of crows and ravens, watching as they r raise their young……….And, the author was a high school classmate many years ago. He has written a captivating study of life in “ravenworld”.
by Paul M. Sandler
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2016
(5) star rating
Must read
Beautifully written and extremely insightful
by P. Wright
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2016
(5) star rating
Five Stars
A great insight into the world of Ravens…..great book!
by David L. Blinman
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2018
(5) star rating
This book is a piece of art that will grab your heart.
Prepare to be amazed and enthralled with all you didn’t know about the magnificent raven. The only thing you will be disappointed in when you finish this read is that you have finished it …… without ever putting it down!! This compelling book by Philip Moynihan is entertaining, captivating and educational. The relationship Moynihan develops with a pair of ravens and their offspring will draw you in and never let you go.
by Lynn R.
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2016
(5) star rating
Up close and personal…
This fascinating book introduces us to ravens in a very unique way. The author begins with a history of ravens and scientific facts about these amazing birds. The story becomes more personal when a pair of ravens moves so close to the author’s house that he can quietly observe them. He names them Freya and Tyr, and decides to record their daily activities. We read about them as they mate, give birth, and raise their young, and by the end of the book we come to know and care about these very intelligent birds.
by Rhoads Stephenson
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2016
(5) star rating
A wonderful and captivating account of two ravens raising their brood …
An engaging chronology of the life cycle of ravens in a suburb of Los Angeles. The birds appear to be smart and able to bond with humans. The author provides detailed observations of their comings and goings, nesting, chick hatching, and then the chicks learning to fly and survive on their own.
Top International Reviews
by Mrs Rhona Chalmers
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2018
(5) star rating
A great read.
Great book and so interesting. Really enjoyed it.
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The Author
Philip Moynihan, PhD, has always enjoyed writing. Had he not chosen a career in aerospace engineering, he likely could have fared moderately well as a journalist. This interest remained honed throughout his forty-five years as an aerospace engineer, including his thirty-eight years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, all of which involved an extensive amount of writing in the form of drafting countless reports, proposals, and everyday correspondence. While writing may often be seen as a bane to many engineers, to him it came naturally.
His writing didn’t stop when he retired. As one with a natural curiosity of the world around him and of the universe in general, as a post-retirement hobby he writes essays on widely varied subjects that pique his interest.