Stunning aerial views!

Dec. 3, 2024: under mostly clear skies, wind W 3MPH, temp 39F; sunset time 4:11PM

Out on Crow Patrol with scouting stops along Marston Street, Prospect St, and Prospect Hill, with incoming and vocalizing flight streams landing and perching in tree tops on both sides of Prospect Street as part of final staging process prior to moving into the overnight roost. Image below looking WSW from west side of Prospect Hill at 10 minutes post sunset time.

The Crows converged into the roost area behind the hospital starting about 25 minutes after sunset, and the numbers grew larger with later arrivals. Often times the Crows will leap frog over tree tops into the ultimate overnight roost area in waves of flight action. In this image the Crow in the back trees will leap frog over the ones closer to the overnight roost trees.

Moved over to the south side of the Merrimack River to observe the secondary roost location with many Crows perched in trees and even more arriving and vocalizing from downriver. This image along the tree line, made up of primarily river birch and silver maple trees, in looking WNW towards the Duck Bridge and the sunset sky. Image at 41 minutes post sunset.

The trees along the Merrimack River were loaded up with roosting Crows with vocalizations finally falling off after 50 minutes post sunset. This view is looking to the East and downriver showing the side of the tree line. The other side of the trees are loaded with even more Crows especially on tree limbs lower to the river. Image at 43 minutes post sunset time.

The Crows perch both on the well lit side of these riverbank trees, over the top crown of the tree, as well as the dark side below overlooking the river, but with some ambient lighting streaking in from the Duck Bridge. This image at 44 minutes post sunset time. Another dazzling night out!

For the 2023 Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for the Andover Circle (MAAN), this separate Crow Count was 11,600 total Crows, including American Crows and Fish Crows. In 2022, the CBC Andover Circle Crow Count was 13,750. Many thanks to Donna Cooper who coordinates and compiles the CBC Andover Circle each year! Craig is the designated sector leader for the roost count.

The counts and methods meticulously developed by the Crow Patrol for the Lawrence roost were reviewed and approved in January 2021. This took place after a full review of all field notes and images, followed by group discussion with the New England Regional Editor for the CBC, full support from the National Director of the CBC, and Donna Cooper as the local CBC Count Circle compiler. After this comprehensive review process, the final count for American Crows for the 2020 CBC was set at 15,200. This final count reflected the detailed field reports and imaging provided by members of the Crow Patrol. This count number was also in total alignment with a long list of experienced local birders who have made prior counting visits to this winter roost in Lawrence, MA!

As a result of meaningful input from the National CBC Director, we are now using improved methods for counting the large number of Crows while streaming, staging, and settling into the roost. For all images, we use both a modified open source counting software program, as well as a direct block count approach, while standing outside (not sitting in a car after dark) around the roost, to carefully document our observations and to significantly increase reliability and accuracy of our well documented numbers. Please refer to our newly published Winter Crow Roost counting guide PDF on the main page.

The Canon R6 mirrorless cameras excels in low-light photography due to its 24 MP sensor with fewer and larger pixels, allowing for better light collection and signal-to-noise ratio. It offers high dynamic range for detail retention, low digital noise even at high ISOs (up to 102,400), effective image stabilization for sharper images, and advanced image processing to minimize noise in dark areas.

The Canon mirrorless cameras with the RF 50mm f/1.2 lens and the RF 28-70mm F2 lens excel in low-light conditions, blending versatile focal lengths with an ultra-wide aperture. Both focal lengths work extremely well in very low light conditions, the f/1.2  and f2 aperture settings ensure exceptional performance in low light conditions, offering stunning clear, and aesthetically pleasing images, making them ideal for the challenging very low light conditions around any overnight winter crow roost.

Remember to check out the latest Crow Patrol Podcast with John Macone (Merrimack River Watershed Council): wintercrowroost.com/podcast/

Photo gear used for most outings:

Canon EOS 80D with Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS 

Canon EOS 80D with Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (Infrared)     

Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless with Canon RF 28-70 f/2 L IS USM 

Canon EOS R6 II Mirrorless with Canon RF 50 f/1.2 L USM 

Sony AX700 4K HDR Camcorder

Follow us on Instagram: wintercrowroost

Follow us on YouTube: wintercrowroost