Surging and loud flight burst video!

Conditions: overcast, wind SW 17MPH, gusts to 26MPH, 59F; sunset time 5:19PM

Out on Crow Patrol along Prospect Street just north of Marston Street lights. Crows seen arriving general area just before sunset time and starting to perch in trees on the hillside just below the Prospect Hill water tower.

Incoming crows were vocalizing loudly and streaming in from the SE and W. The crows perched in tree top branches from north to south by the water tower and launched numerous exhilarating flight bursts.

More flight bursts

In the fading light the crows shifted the tightly packed roosting a bit to the south and closer to the curve with Marston Street. Another dazzling Crow Show!

The 2021 Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for the Andover Circle, for this separate Crow Count was 12,250 Crows. Last year, the 2020 CBC Andover Circle Crow Count was 15,200. Many thanks to Donna Cooper who coordinates and compiles the Andover Circle each year!

Note on counts/estimates: we are now using improved methods for counting the large number of Crows while streaming, staging, and in the roost. For all images, we use both a modified open source counting software program, as well as a hand count approach to carefully document our observations and to increase reliability and accuracy of the presented numbers. 

Remember to check out the latest Crow Patrol Podcast with Prof. John Kricher: wintercrowroost.com/podcast/

Photo gear used for this outing:

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 1DX MK II with Canon EF Telephoto Zoom 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Sony AX700 4K HDR Camcorder

ATN BinoX 4K Smart HD Binoculars with photo/video

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Blog post and photos by Craig Gibson, 2022 Crow Patrol