Winter Crow Roost: dazzling flight action
Conditions: partly cloudy, wind 17MPH, gusts to 25MPH, temp at 37F, wind chill 27F; sunset time 4:40PM Out on Crow Patrol with first stop to watch hundreds of Crows milling around the field next to the Essex County Sheriff's Pre-release Center. This facility is located at the start of Incinerator Road in Lawrence. The guard staff was good enough [...]
Roost: bitter cold early morning!
Conditions: before sunrise, partly cloudy, wind W 5MPH, temp at 9F, wind chill 0F: sunrise time: 7:10AM Out on early Crow Patrol at about 6:15AM, to observe dispersal from the roost; upon arrival strong chorus of vocalizations underway and small groupings departing roost. This image below, taken about 40 minutes before sunrise time, shows a very dense looking roost [...]
Crow Roost road trip: Cornell U., Auburn, NY, Hamilton College!
Enjoy the video of an early morning roost dispersal in Auburn, NY! With a little extra time off around MLK weekend, thought it might be a good time to make a winter crow roost road trip to Western Mass. and Upstate NY. My hope was to visit more winter crow roosts, connect and meet local crow roost [...]
Winter Crow Roost: mayhem then quiet!
Conditions: overcast skies, wind E 3MPH, temp at 36F; sunset time 4:34PM Out on Crow Patrol with first stop about 4:15PM on Incinerator Road by the baseball field, with views of Crows staging both sides of Merrimack River. This location provides views with slightly higher elevations and an opportunity to see the gathering numbers of Crows in the [...]
Winter Crow Roost: overcast and fog!
Conditions: heavy overcast with fog and mist, wind NE at 7MPH, temp at 30F; sunset time at 4:33PM Out on Crow Patrol with first stop along north side of Merrimack River to observe early staging. Moved over to south side of river for final convergence into overnight communal roost. The Crows vocalizations became louder and louder just after sunset. [...]
Recap: Opening Night for 2020 Celebration of the Winter Crow Roost!
The opening reception for the second annual Crow-themed art show hosted by the Essex Art Center was held on Friday night, Jan. 10, 2019 with a big turnout! In this exhibit, the Art Center celebrates the annual return of more than 20,000 American Crows and Fish Crows to Lawrence for the annual winter roosting season that typically happens between [...]
Winter Crow Roost: crows galore!!
Conditions: clear skies with a few sunset clouds, wind NW 6MPH, temp at 25F wind with chill at 18F; sunset time 4:29PM Out on Crow Patrol starting close to 4:30PM with initial stops along Marston St., Incinerator Road area, Pre-release Center, and then North Main Street. Crows started streaming in from every direction just after 4:35PM. Large concentrations farther [...]
Winter Crow Roost: sweet sunset!
Conditions: mostly cloudy but spectacular sunset, wind W at 14MPH, gusts up to 21MPH, 34F; sunset time 4:27PM Out on Crow Patrol just before sunset time. Crows were seen staging almost 1/2 mile away and downriver. My viewing location on south side of Merrimack River at end of North Main St, North Andover. Crows made a very orderly progression [...]
Winter Crow Roost: staging Lawrence Sanitary District Plant!
Conditions: overcast skies, calm, 36F: sunset time 4:27PM Out on Crow Patrol with initial stops along extended Marston St area, along the Rt. 495 Interchange, and along Sutton St. in North Andover with no Crows in sight. Parked at end of North Main St. and worked my way down to edge of Merrimack River. Hardly a Crow seen or [...]