Winter Crow Roost: by the FX Wall Experiment Station
Feb. 5, 2026 under clear skies, calm winds, 16°F; sunset time at 5:03 PM Following a nearby Essex County Greenbelt Association talk, a short but rewarding Crow Patrol stop offered a quieter look at the roost as winter numbers begin their seasonal taper. Initial stops focused on the south end of the bridge and continued along the stretch bordering [...]
Talk: Essex County Greenbelt Association at Harbor Place
Feb. 5, 2026: Nearly 100 attendees gathered on Thursday evening at Harbor Place for More Than a Murder: The Winter Crow Roost, part of the Essex County Greenbelt Association Film & Lecture Series. The room was filled with a wonderful mix of longtime Greenbelt members, active birders, and curious community members, all eager to learn more about one of [...]
Winter Crow Roost: staging on ice!
Feb. 4, 2026 under clear skies, wind W 5mPH, temp 29F; sunset time 5:02PM Another memorable winter evening unfolded along the Merrimack River corridor as crows moved through familiar staging areas and built steadily toward an overnight roost. The patterns were classic, dynamic, and endlessly engaging. TheCrow Patrol began with a slow progression along Merrimack Street, continuing down [...]
Upcoming Talk: Essex County Greenbelt Association
Feb. 3, 2026: Tomorrow night, we have the great honor of speaking to a sold-out audience as part of the Essex County Greenbelt Association’s Film & Lecture Series at Harbor Place in Haverhill. We're very grateful for the invitation and very much looking forward to gathering with everyone for an evening focused on one of Essex County’s most remarkable [...]
Winter Crow Roost: move to Pemberton Park!
Jan. 31, 2026 under clear skies, northwest wind at 5 mph, 19°F; sunset at 4:56 PM. An evening of classic winter crow winter roosting behavior unfolded along the Merrimack River corridor, with multiple staging areas active and a dramatic build up toward an established overnight roost. It was a pleasure to welcome two groups of guests, with Abby [...]
American Crows and Fish Crows: separate species?
A great question came up recently from a new crow watcher observing a nearby large winter crow roost in Washiungton DC. It’s a question many people new to crow roosts ask: if American Crows and Fish Crows are separate species, why do they mix so freely during winter, flying together, staging together, and roosting side by side in [...]
“Ottawa Morning” Radio Show Interview
Jan. 20, 2026: Early this morning I had the pleasure of joining Ottawa Morning on CBC Radio for a live, wide-ranging conversation about one of winter’s most dramatic urban wildlife spectacles: the Alta Vista crow roost. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-100-ottawa-morning/clip/16192965-a-growing-murder-crows-alta-vista The invitation came after producer Olivia Robinson reached out, explaining that residents in Alta Vista, and across Ottawa, had been noticing larger [...]
Merrimack Valley Bird Club Outing!
Jan. 19, 2025 under overcast skies, wind SW at 8MPH, 24F; sunset time 4:41PM Monday night brought a terrific turnout of members from the Merrimack Valley Bird Club, gathered under the outstanding leadership of Donna Cooper for another unforgettable evening at the Lawrence winter crow roost. With clear views, active birds, and the added perspective of aerial imagery, [...]
Winter Crow Roost: converging into the roost!
Jan. 7, 2026 under overcast skies, calm wind conditions, temp 33F, and sunset time at 4:27PM The Crow Patrol unfolded primarily along South Canal Street, with endless incoming flight streams and boisterous vocalizations signaling a roost that continues to consolidate and expand westward along the Merrimack River. This first aerial image, captured in the Fulgurite thermal palette, shows [...]
Winter Crow Roost: settled in and all quiet!
Jan. 6, 2026 under overcast skies with light snow, wind NE at 5MPH, temp 29F, hours after sunset time. This short visit took place well after sunset, with flight activity long finished and the roost fully settled. Crows were quietly roosting in two locations, the main roost by the New Balance building and a smaller group east of Route [...]