Trying to befriend Jackdaws but I feel like I'm training them to flee when they see me
Ever since I moved to Denmark last year, I've been in corvid heaven. Everyday I see all kinds of corvids and it's just been so fun identifying them when seeing them for the first time. I always see Jackdaws and Rooks the most these days, but there's also Eurasian Magpies and less commonly Hooded Crows and I even saw a Raven once in the countryside.
I've always been content just watching them, but I adore seeing the pictures and videos here of people befriending them and such. I wanted to try my hand at it too, but all the groceries stores I went to only sold salted nuts. Just last week I finally found a packet of cashews that weren't salted and thought it was finally my time.
On my way home from work I pass a gas station and there is always a group of Jackdaws chilling in the grass out front. Sometimes there is a single Rook who actually seemed responsive to my baby talking it one time but gave up getting closer to me when another person passed by us on the sidewalk. I haven't seen that Rook since. But the Jackdaws... I always see the Jackdaws on my way home. So last week I started gently tossing my cashews I bought near them and once or twice a Jackdaw would grab the cashew and fly away. But later last week and a few times so far this week, whenever they see me coming, the flee for high ground on top of the light poles or gas station sign or even fly to the park across the street whenever they see me coming. There have been a day or two where there were no Jackdaws in sight when coming home from work.
Twice this week a Jackdaw has grabbed my tossed cashews while the others just flee whenever they see me coming from the bus stop. I thought I was making progress because on Monday one looked like he excitedly waddled towards me when he saw me and took the cashew when I tossed him one, but mostly they all just scatter when they see me. I try to toss more cashews towards them but they don't leave their perch up high.
I wonder if it's just how it always is in the beginning or if I did something to offend them. Maybe they don't like cashews? I try not to move quickly or loudly or make any sudden movements around them, but they just seem like they have no interest in my feeding them.