Re: [Maine-birds] Fwd: Augusta birds 1-29-13

The crows have been mobbing in my backyard for weeks now, every afternoon at 4:30.  The kids are a little creeped out.  I'm not much good at counting flocks, but I'd estimate that at times we have over 500, in all the bare trees on the hill that supports the Thomas Hill Standpipe.  They do not roost here for the night, but they reappear before dawn.  They are much quieter then.

I have long suspected that Hitchcock got his idea for The Birds from crows, or from starlings on telephone wires.

On Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 12:48 PM, Norman Famous <nfamous@maine.edu> wrote:

Hi,

I hit the wrong key before finishing.  The list is not exceptional but the site has great potential for less common species, especially in late morning and early afternoon.  They are not always present but it only takes a few minutes to check out the site.  The viewing conditions are great in that you can mount your scope on your vehicle window and leisurely scan them as they sit on the ice or float by while group bathing.

Here we go again.

~250 herring gulls, mostly adults; 5-10 first winter birds

2  Iceland gull    First winter, one darker

2  Great black-backed, one adult and one first winter

~20  Ring-billed gulls

2  American crows

1  Sharp-shinned hawk soaring across the river

I was present the day before in the late afternoon and no gulls were present.  There were about 350 or more American crows gathering in the trees beyond the end of Canal Street getting ready to roost.  I could not get a full count as there were more groups of crows in trees beyond this group.  I moved upriver about a half mile and small flocks of crows were arriving from upriver.

More Crows in downtown Augusta

If you are in Augusta during late afternoon (4:00) it is worth stopping if you enjoy large groups of crows and their social behavior and the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds.  It is very relaxing.

Also check the circle area near Kennebec Savings Bank on the west side of the river.  They sometimes group in trees near there.  Also, many flocks of crows can be seen flying over the Kennebec towards the circle (or in view from the circle) if they are roosting in that section of town.

Happy birding,

Norm Famous

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Norman Famous <nfamous@maine.edu>
Date: Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Subject: Augusta birds 1-29-13
To: Maine Birders Listserv <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>


Hi,

I was in Augusta yesterday morning and encountered a song sparrow at the Augusta Town Garage behind the recyling bin (cardboard bin).  After that I went to the end of Canal Street to look for gulls. 

~250 herring gulls, mostly adults; 5-10 first winter birds

2 Iceland gulls

--

Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist

513 Eight Rod Road

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 623 6072

--

Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist

513 Eight Rod Road

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 623 6072

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