Winter Crow Roost: Counting Quiz!
Crow Counting Quiz #1! One aspect of this Crow roosting phenomenon is counting the large number of crows using the roost. By obtaining accurate and reliable numbers, biologists can better track changes in the size of winter crow populations, follow the timing and extent of winter migration, pin down specific roost locations each winter and over time, [...]
Crow Roosts: night vision optics!
Nov. 10, 2021: clear skies, wind NW 8 MPH, temp 54F; sunset time 4:26PM Out on Crow Patrol after dark with first stop on north side of Merrimack River on both side of Mill240 building to observe Crows already settled in the roost. More than 125 Crows in this image, were perched in trees to the west of the [...]
Winter Crow Roosts: both locations after dark!
Nov. 8, 2021: clear skies, calm, temp at 55F; sunset time 4:28PM Out on Crow Patrol with initial stops along Merrimack Street near the Casey Bridge, and then up to the top of the McGovern parking garage. Great views looking westward at both the incoming flight stream of Crows, as well as Crows gathering on the ground, railroad tracks, [...]
Winter Crow Roost #2!
Clear skies and light winds; sunset time 5:34PM As the numbers in the roost area around the New Balance factory building are much lower than normal, thought it might make sense to explore for other roost locations. Discovered a great deal of action on the east side of the Rt. 495 Bridge in location of last year's overnight roost. [...]
Crow Patrol: roof and flight action
Nov. 2, 2021: overcast skies, wind SW 5MPH, temp 53F; sunset time 5:25PM Out on Crow Patrol along Merrimack Street with first stops around the south end of the Casey Bridge area. Next stop was atop the McGovern parking garage as the Crows assembled on the far roof, at the west end. In this image we tally over just [...]
Winter Crow Roost: images after dark!
Oct. 28, 2021: clear skies, wind NNE 4MPH, temp at 48F; sunset time 5:42PM Out on Crow Patrol with first stop at parking garage roof deck with views of gathering Crows on warehouse rooftop to the west. Just over 325 Crows observed from this image about 15 minutes before sunset time. Moved over to north side of Merrimack River [...]
Low elevation flight swirl!
Oct. 27, 2021: heavy overcast, wind NW 3MPH, temp at 49F, sunset time 5:43PM Out on Crow Patrol about 30 minutes before sunset time with Crows observed in staging areas on both sides of the Merrimack River. Primary vantage point was from north side of the river. Image below shows the Crows streaming into the general area around the [...]
Crow Roost: flight swirls over Merrimack River
Flight action over roof area Thursday, 21 Oct. 2021: partly cloudy, wind S at 6MPH, temp at 69F; sunset time 5:52PM Out on Crow Patrol with stops along Merrimack Street all the way down to Broadway and Carver Street at Rt. 114. Large numbers starting to assemble around Helfrich Boiler Works, with well over 300 Fish Crows [...]
Winter Crow Roost: almost full moon!
Aerial views of nearby staging area! Conditions: mostly cloudy, wind NW 17, gusts to 24, temp at 54F; sunset time 5:57PM Out on Crow Patrol with first stops along Merrimack Street west of the Casey Bridge. Crows were seen arriving and staging on rooftops, utility wires, and on the ground with lots of vocalizing. The roof of [...]
Winter Roost: more crows on the move!
Crows in the roost quieting down for overnight! Conditions: clear skies, wind S at 3MPH, temp at 72F, sunset time 6:06PM Out on Crow Patrol with first stop atop parking garage with Crows starting to gather in small numbers on rooftops below about 35 minutes before sunset. The initial buildup took place on multiple roof areas around [...]