Crows arriving the roost!

March 10, 2022: mostly cloudy, calm: sunset time 5:45PM

Out on Crow Patrol with first stop atop baseball field on Incinerator Road with views to the east and towards staging Crows around the extended airport and above the downslope to the Merrimack River. Image below at just over 30 minutes before sunset time.

During 30 minute period, observed steady flight streams moving from the extended airport area, moving west towards the overnight roost. As always, the Crows tend to maintain flight altitude just above the tree tops when moving from a final staging area to the overnight roost. This image captured just a few minutes before sunset time.

While tracking the overall flight movements towards the overnight roost, ended up on Prospect Street, with Crows gathering in hillside treetops below the water tower, up until 30 minutes after sunset time. It is always a delight to watch the Crows settle into the overnight roost, usually with a number of random and very entertaining flight bursts. This image almost 30 minutes after sunset time.

The Crows then fully shifted a bit to the south and into the trees at the curve near the intersection of Prospect and Marston. The vocalizing diminished by 60 minutes after sunset time. This image was captured with night vision gear at almost 90 minutes after sunset time. Another amazing 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. Sylvia Halkin: 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