March 24, 2026: under mostly clear skies with a light southwest breeze and a mild 45°F evening, set out almost 30 minutes before sunset time for another Crow Patrol along the Merrimack. After initial scans in all directions from the Incinerator Road ballfields, where small groups were building to the east and south, shifted location and vantage point to the south side of the river. There, the scene came into full view: hundreds upon hundreds of crows swirling low and wide above the downriver treetops, as captured in the first image below, a living cloud of motion gathering and reshaping over the roost.

As the minutes passed, organized flight streams began to materialize, flowing in from multiple directions and circling above the roost trees along the north bank. What began as scattered arrivals quickly evolved into a more coordinated movement of waves of Crows rising, folding, and re-forming just above the leafless tree canopy. The airspace over the river became a staging arena, with birds lifting off in synchronized groups, circling outward, and then drifting back toward the trees, as if testing positions before committing to the night.

Then came the most dynamic phase moments with a series of dazzling flight bursts pushing out over the river. Large clusters with over 2200 Crows surged upward and outward in sweeping arcs, momentarily expanding the roost footprint before curling back in. These bursts were brief, energetic, and beautifully choreographed and felt almost like a final negotiation among the flock. One by one, the waves diminished, the motion softened, and the crows settled into the treetops. Within minutes, the spectacle gave way to stillness, and the roost quieted into the night.

For the 2025 National Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for the Andover Circle (MAAN), the dedicated crow roost count totaled 14,025 crows, including both American Crows and Fish Crows. By comparison, the Andover Circle crow count was 12,550 in 2024 and 11,600 in 2023. Many thanks to Mark Morroni and Donna Cooper, who coordinated and compiled the Andover Circle CBC this year. Craig serves as the designated sector leader for the Lawrence winter crow roost count.

The counting methods developed by the Crow Patrol for the Lawrence roost were formally reviewed and approved in January 2021 following a detailed evaluation of field notes, images, and group discussion with Wayne Petersen, New England Regional Editor for the CBC, with full support from Geoff LeBaron, National Director of the CBC, and Donna Cooper as local compiler. After this comprehensive review, the 2020 CBC American Crow count was finalized at 15,200, a figure fully supported by field documentation and consistent with long-term observations by experienced local birders.

Building on guidance from the National CBC leadership, we now use enhanced, field-based counting methods tailored to large winter crow roosts. These include multiple direct block counts of birds in flight, during staging, and once perched, conducted entirely on foot around the roost. Counts are later cross-checked using still images and video, supported by modified open-source counting software. This multi-layered approach significantly improves accuracy and repeatability. A detailed overview of these methods is available in the Winter Crow Roost Counting Guide (PDF) on the main page.

All images are captured using professional low-light mirrorless camera systems and fast-aperture lenses, allowing for reliable documentation under the very challenging lighting conditions at dusk and after dark typical of winter crow roosts.