Winter Crow Roost: eating Bittersweet!
Out on Crow Patrol, outside of my car 100% of time, taking in the whole experience including streaming, staging, and roosting activities. First stop along Marston St. to observe staging Crows that were coming in from downriver and to the east. They were perched on branches and rooftops. It was fascinating to watch 20+ Crows attack Asian Bittersweet vines [...]
Winter Crow Roost: streaming in from NW!
An exciting time lapse of the staging process! Conditions: overcast skies, wind NW at 9MPH, temp at 30F, wind chill 24F; sunset time 4:10PM Out on Crow Patrol, outside of my car 95% of time, taking in the whole experience including streaming, staging, and roosting activities. Again, met and talked with many locals who are always very interested [...]
Crow Pellets: how to dissect and analyze
Had a very nice recent visit with Tom French. Before his recent retirement, Tom served as the Assistant Director, Natural Heritage & Endangered Species for MassWildlife. Tom is going to walk us through an overview of the Crow pellet dissection process, and then he'll walk us through how he dissects an individual Crow pellet. Here is a quick look [...]
Winter Crow Roost: swarms growing larger!
Conditions: clear skies, wind SW 9MPH, temp at 46F: sunset time 4:11PM Out on Crow Patrol, again meeting and talking with many locals, along with a local videographer. First stop at the roof top of McGovern parking garage with terrific 180° views E/S/W. A number of Crows were gathering in trees close to the parking garage as the sun [...]
Roost: early staging action
Conditions: heavy overcast skies, wind W 10MPH, temp at 40F, wind chill 32F: sunset time 4:11PM Out on Crow Patrol with first and long stop, yet again atop McGovern parking garage. Upon arrival just after 3:45PM, a small number of Crows had begun the staging process on the extended B&D rooftop area and all around the Jackson Lumber complex. [...]
Winter Crow Roost: swarming in at higher altitudes
Conditions: mostly clear skies, wind S 15MPH, gusts 24MPH, temp at 54F; sunset time 4:11PM Out on Crow Patrol with many locals stopping to talk, with first stop at roof top of McGovern parking garage just before sunset. Swarms and waves of incoming Crows followed over next 25 minutes, with big numbers coming in after swirling around at higher [...]
Winter Crow Roost: back around New Balance!
Sunday night, Nov. 29 under following conditions: clear skies at dusk, wind S at 3MPH, temp at 48°F; sunset time 4:12PM Out on Crow Patrol getting underway just after sunset time along Marston Street with Crow staging in trees near the medical building. Then headed up to open air roof area of McGovern parking garage. After scanning from east [...]
Winter Crow Roost: streaming in from upriver!
Conditions: clear skies, wind N at 5MPH, temp at 35F: sunset time 4:14PM Out on Crow Patrol for almost two hours, starting just before sunset time with looks at staging Crows near the airport and along the Merrimack River. Next stop was along South Canal Street with Crows arriving minutes before sunset time with lots of vocalizing. Huge streams [...]
Winter Crow Roost: staging around Casey Bridge!
Conditions: partly sunny, wind NW at 14MPH, gusts 30MPH, temp at 42F; sunset time 4:15PM Out on solo Crow patrol with first stop along the Merrimack River on east side of Rt. 495 Bridge to watch Crows staging downriver. The Crows were working their way upriver in advance of sunset time and leapfrogging along tree tops in growing numbers. [...]
The Green Team: Crow Project Presentation
In January 2020, the Groundwork Lawrence "Green Team" was invited to be a part of a journey in learning about the Winter Crow Roost in the Merrimack Valley. Amazed by this yearly crow phenomenon, the Green Team members, all high school students, have learned about the staging and roosting behaviors of both American and Fish Crows. In addition, they [...]