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Writer's pictureCrone

Night watch

In my recent crow course, I learned that crows - like humans - can't see well at night. The theory is that by roosting at night in urban areas, they may benefit from 'nightlights', which enable them to see potential owl predators.


The course suggested that we might see large groups of crows in the evenings flying to meet up to roost. This led to me looking out for crows in the evenings when I am driving home. I never see more than twenty or so in a group. Usually far fewer. But when driving home on the motorway one evening I did see a group roosting. The weird thing was they were roosting on the lights at a big motorway junctions. Not on trees. On lampposts over the roundabout. Each one had its shadow brigade of one to four crows - as many as could fit on the crossbar of the light.


It seemed... unromantic. Practical though, I guess.


I still look out in the evenings - and when I do see a large group, I think, Oh! The black angels! That is romantic, I suppose.


The other evening, I got home at twilight and went to the park in the dimpsy light to see if anyone was around. The main park was silent and empty. I scanned the trees. The deciduous ones still have a scattering of leaves but I could see no obvious crow shapes. The evergreens - better overnight spots I guess now - are mainly in the place where the Driveway Duo (mostly a trio these days) hang out.


As I left the park, lo and behold, calls and black shapes in the darkening light. I threw the nuts and they landed to eat on the little patch of grass at the entrance to the park. A late treat for them and me.

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maplekey4
Oct 25, 2021

Love your crow art!


And I like the image of you with the crows at twilight.


I tracked down this great documentary about our crows.


https://vimeo.com/97833376


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maplekey4
Oct 25, 2021
Replying to

P.S. This afternoon I saw at least 30 crows mobbing a large hawk that had been perched on the edge of the park. A small flock of plump pigeons veered off flying, no doubt relieved the crows sent the big hawk packing. The hawk left our local area and in a few minutes the crows flew back to the park sans hawk - business done!

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