Rfalconcam Forum

I have been frustrated and saddened this breeding year...no falcon babies in either Rochester or Syracuse.  So, I focused on my crows, and in particular, my crow family.  We had three babies this year, and I was so excited!  Unfortunately the smallest was plucked from the nest.  Our beautiful alpha (the biggest) had a run-in with a redtail, and not much was left. 

A couple of weeks ago we lost our old guy, the breeding male.  I spent hours searching for his body so we could determine cause of death, but no luck. 

Yesterday I could not locate my remaining baby crow, but I have not been able to find a body either.  I looked again this morning and still no sign of him.  Probably a redtail again, but who knows. 

Suzanne 

I'm so sorry Suzanne, not a good year for sure. So much sadness and not enough gladness. I'm such a wreck when baby bird season arrives. Can't imagine a whole crow family disappearing.  :crying:

 :hello: Long time no see Suzanne! I'm very sorry about your little crow family. The whole bird world has taken it's share of hits this year! I can report that the crows are coming back in earnest to Washington Square park to roost at night and lining the rail on top of the Frontier building when I arrive before dawn.  ;D

Oh dear, Suzanne. More sad news this year. People here can get a bit ramped up about the various crow species we have, but we enjoy ours greatly. Great personalities and so intelligent.

Hi MAK  :wave:
This has definitely been a crazy bird year!  Twice a hawk has snapped up a baby bluejay in my front yard!!  Oh the cries of the adults were just heart wrenching.  I know the hawks have to feed their young too, but could they please shop in someone else's yard! 

Glad to hear the downtown Rochester crows are thriving  :thumbsup:  Maybe some will migrate here during winter. 

Don and I are heading off to Cape Cod tomorrow...maybe we'll see a Peregrine!
Suzanne

Safe trip, Don and Suzanne! May the PeFas delight you wherever you go.

Have a GREAT trip guys! Cape Cod is the bomb!!! Get those clam diggers out and have some fun!
 :foxbinocs: :pfalcon:

PS Sorry 'bout the baby Blue Jays! :heart:

It's been a very sad year-so many losses in so many places.  I'm so sorry about your Crow family that I know, after talking with you last year, mean a lot to you. May they all fly free!

It is sad to hear about your crows, but there is an abundance of crows around here.  I love crows.  They are so smart and so "clan-ish".  They LOVE their families!  The young and the oldsters stick together.      I love to see the crows in the park outside of GEVA Theater.  Is that Washington Park, MAK, and i don't know the name?    Late at night it seems there are thousands in the trees out there. 

Does anyone know how it got the name a "murder" of crows?  Isn't that the word?    I guess I've never looked into that....

Yes Margaret, Washington Square Park is by Geva Theater and that's where all the crows congregate.  ;D

“A ‘murder’ of crows is based on the persistent but fallacious folk tale that crows form tribunals to judge and punish the bad behavior of a member of the flock. If the verdict goes against the defendant, that bird is killed (murdered) by the flock. The basis in fact is probably that occasionally crows will kill a dying crow who doesn’t belong in their territory or much more commonly feed on carcasses of dead crows. Also, both crows and ravens are associated with battlefields, medieval hospitals, execution sites and cemeteries (because they scavenged on human remains). In England, a tombstone is sometimes called a ravenstone.”

http://www.ascaronline.org/crowfaq.htm (http://www.ascaronline.org/crowfaq.htm)

Thanks, Dale, that was interesting, especially the ravenstone tidbit.  :mini-bird: I liked the info in your crow link, too.

Dot in PA

And it is said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the Empire will fall. Thanks for the info, Dale.

Very interesting reading!  Thanks, Dale!

Thank you, Dale!   You answered my question!

that's an interesting website, too. Lots of information

On a nature show I saw a couple of years ago, and my memory is fuzzy on this now, they were working hard to protect the Tower of London Ravens from the possibility of getting West Nile Virus...maybe by keeping them indoors...I can't remember the details.  But it was related to that superstition and the national need to know that the tower's Ravens are safe.

Very interesting, Patti. Those ravens are quite something to see.