Tag Archive | birds native to calgary

Crows By The Thousands

Originally posted August 27, 2009

Note: It appears that the crows are not roosting in the usual spot on Nose Hill this year.  If anyone knows of a large night-time crow roost in the city, please leave a comment.

A sure sign that autumn is here is the sight of thousands of American Crows gathering together in huge communal roosts every night.  On August 20/09 at 6:00 pm there were several hundred gathered along the south side of Nose Hill Park west of 14th Street in NW Calgary.  The crows accumulate throughout the evening, arriving from all over the city and from the surrounding countryside, and then move farther into the park to roost in trees overnight.  Yesterday, August 25, I walked into the pre-roost area at 8:45 pm, as it was getting dark. I can only guess at the number of crows gathered there but it surely must have been many thousands.  At 9:00 pm they were still arriving from the south at the rate of about one hundred a minute.

American Crow

This same area was used as a roost last fall.  One observer reported on Albertabird that there were almost 8,000 crows there on August 25, 2008.   The largest night-roost reported, from Oklahoma, had over a million birds!

The reason that crows gather in large roosts like this is for protection from predators, which large numbers in a small area offers.  In the daytime the crows are scattered over hundreds of square miles.  If they were to stay there overnight, they potentially would be prey to the dozens of Great Horned Owls which occupy that large area.  By concentrating in a small area, the crows reduce their losses to a minimum – one or two that might be taken by the owls that occupy this small territory.

Unless you are the kind of person who is freaked out by being surrounded by a huge mob of chattering birds in near-darkness, it is well worthwhile to take a walk to this roost before the crows migrate.  The area is easily accessible.  Park in the lot near Brisebois Drive NW, on the north side of John Laurie Boulevard, about halfway between 14 Street and Shaganappi Trail.  A short walk up the paved path in Many Owls Valley will take you into the midst of the crows.

If you know of another nighttime crow roost in the city, please leave a comment.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Previously posted comments:

  • c lannan Says:
    September 22, 2009 at 1:21 am editfor the last two weeks, hundreds (maybe a thousand)crows arrive on the rooftops and fences of Edgebrook Point (which backs on to Shaganappi Trail) across from the NW corner of Nose Hill around 7 p.m and stay for about an hour. Do you have any idea how much longer this will last and if it is likely to reoccur in future years.
    Reply
    • Bob L Says:
      September 24, 2009 at 1:15 am editThe crows will probably depart in mid- to late October. They roosted in the same area last year and sometimes crows will use the same roost for years, so they may be back again next fall. But they do sometimes change roost locations, so maybe not.
      Reply
  • Marlo Says:
    October 2, 2009 at 5:06 pm editLast night (October 1st, 2009) I left my office building about 7:40 pm (around dusk) at 7th Street and 5th Avenue SW. Across the street at MacDougall Centre, there were anywhere from 200-400 crows, maybe more, perched on the building and the park that surrounds it. They were flying back and forth, and you could see massive spots on the sidewalk and street where they collectively relieved themselves. I had never seen any birds on the building as there are gargoyles on the roof to keep the pigeons away, so it came as quite a surprise. My colleage mentioned to me that she’s seen them cluster in that spot around dusk and dawn at this time of year for the last few years now.
    Reply
  • Kevin Says:
    October 5, 2009 at 1:31 am editI have been working the graveyard shift @ my work downtown on 3rd Ave and 6th for the past week. I have noticed that every evening hundreds of these crows fly in from the north between 7:00pm – 7:15pm, and perch themselves on the nearby apartment buildings. It’s almost eerie to watch, with their precise timing and all, and if you’re ever up to see, they all flee back to where they came around sunrise. A word of warning though, make sure you carry an umbrella if you’re in the area then.
    Reply
  • Darlene Says:
    October 12, 2009 at 11:59 pm editThank you to all who took the time to put these comments in. I just watched a program about crows, and they are quite smart. I used to feed them in my backyard and am fascinated with them. I will for sure be out with umbrella to watch them next year at McDougal and Nose hill.
    Reply
  • Sara Says:
    October 29, 2009 at 5:17 am editwe just got freaked out but the hundred or so crows roosting in the trees surrounding our house tonight. about a mile from the park but still in a populated residential area. i was worried it was some sort of bad omen.
    Reply
  • Rob Jobst Says:
    February 25, 2010 at 8:54 am editThe Mount Royal Escarpment, which separates eastern Mount Royal from the community of Cliff Bungalow, sees hundreds of crows gathering every evening from mid- to late-summer through some point in the fall. If you want to take in a good show, go to the little park at 5th Street and 24th Avenue SW and watched the “squadrons” of crows fly in from the east and settle on the wooded hilllside. Every once in a while they will get spooked and all explode into the sky at once and the sky almost goes black with the hundreds of swirling crows. I very much enjoy the spectacle from my apartment a block away, but I wouldn’t want to be those people that live in the condos right across the street from the roost… 800 crows make a lot of noise!
  • Bird Alert Update Nov 15

    If you’re interested in birds in Calgary and the surrounding region, you should know about the Bird Alert phone message.

    City of Calgary and Nature Calgary’s Bird Alert Number (403) 221-4519

    Compiled twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, the message gives a rundown of all the unusual bird sightings that have been reported by birders. It lists the bird species and the location where it was seen, so you can take your chance of seeing it as well.

    You can listen to the message for bird locations, or if you have a bird to report, you can bypass them, or do so at the end of the recorded message.

    A bird that should be reported can be either a rare bird not usually found in the area, or one here in the wrong season.  While beginning birders will not know what to report, checking this message on a regular basis will give you a good idea, and help to increase your birding skills.

    The report for the second week of November for unusual birds in Calgary:

    • North bank of the Bow River between the 10th & 14 Street bridges in NW Calgary – Orange-crowned Warbler
    • Carburn Park in SE Calgary – Yellow-rumped Warbler (2), Red-winged Blackbird, Sharp-shinned hawk, Northern Goshawk
    • East of the cement plant on 194 Avenue SE – Glaucous Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull

    The next scheduled update of the Bird Alert is Thursday, November 19.

    Pat Bumstead

     

    BIRD STUDY GROUP – Meet September – May, 7:30 PM on the 1st Wednesday of the month, Room 211, BioSciences Bldg, University of Calgary. The next meeting is Wednesday, December 2, with a talk by Sandy Ayer on Birding Adventures in the Congo. Doors open at 7:00 PM. Talks are free and open to the public.

    Northern Pygmy-Owl in Fish Creek Park

    Northern Pygmy-Owl by Anne Elliott

    On the morning of Wednesday, November 11, 2009, I took a walk in the west end of Fish Creek Provincial Park, in the Shannon Terrace-Bebo Grove area.

    The weather was relatively cool, clear, and calm.

    Highlights included a Northern Pygmy-Owl at Bridge #2 around 9:30 AM, as well as 2 singing Pine Grosbeaks in the same general area.

    Bald Eagle H
    Northern Pygmy-Owl
    Downy Woodpecker
    Hairy Woodpecker
    Blue Jay
    Black-billed Magpie
    Common Raven
    Black-capped Chickadee
    Boreal Chickadee
    Red-breasted Nuthatch
    White-breasted Nuthatch
    Golden-crowned Kinglet
    Bohemian Waxwing
    Pine Grosbeak
    White-winged Crossbill

    Red Squirrel

    Good Birding Everyone!

    D. Knapik
    Calgary, Alberta

    Posted by Pat Bumstead

    Little Brown Birds

    I have a first-year White-crowned Sparrow in my yard today.   This isn’t too unusual – I usually get a few of these going through in both spring and fall.  But a few years ago, before I became serious about birding, I never would have noticed this bird.  It would have been lost among the dozens of House Sparrows in my yard.

    Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow

    One of the first things a beginning birder should do is familiarize themselves with all the common birds they see every day.  For the backyard birder, this means not only birds like magpies and chickadees, which are distinctive, but also all the little brown birds which crowd the feeders every day.  The vast majority of these in Calgary will be House Sparrows, and in the last few years, House Finches.

    House Sparrows have two distinct costumes – the brown/white/grey/chestnut of the adult male, and the dull brown/grey of the female and juvenile.  The male’s plumage is quite distinctive.  The amount of black in the bib can vary, and the colours are more crisp in the summer, but with a little practice the males can be recognized easily.
    In contrast, the females and the young are quite plain (females and the young of both sexes look alike).  For me, the key identifying feature is the pale line behind the eye.  An important field mark for all House Sparrows is their unstreaked breast.  If it has spots or streaks on the breast, it isn’t a House Sparrow.

    Young male House Sparrow

     

    Female House Sparrow

     

    House Finches are the same length as House Sparrows, but a little slimmer, and they weigh less.  They all have streaked breasts.  The adult males have colour on their heads, breast and rump, which is usually orange-red or pinkish, but can occasionally be orange or even yellowish.  Females and young are plain grey, but have heavily streaked breasts.

    Female House Finch

    Male House Finch

    Spend some time learning to recognize House Sparrows and House Finches in your yard, and then any unusual little brown birds will jump right out at you.  In the last five years, I have had nine species of native sparrows in my yard – White-crowned, White-throated, Lincoln’s, Savannah, Harris’s, Chipping, Clay-coloured, American Tree Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos.  I have also had Purple Finches, which are easy to spot once you know the House Finches.  There are several other sparrows, and many other little brown birds, that you could get besides these.
    Although it’s fun to watch the House Sparrows and House Finches at your feeders, it’s always exciting whenever you see a little brown bird in the yard and realize “That’s something new!”

    American Tree Sparrow

    Harris's Sparrow

    Bob Lefebvre
     

    Nature Calgary Fall Field Trips

    The following nature walks are free, and open to all. Join us as we get to know Calgary & the birds better!

    SEPTEMBER

    Sat Sep 26, 9am: Bird Mallard Point, E end of Canyon Meadows Dr SE. Leader, Howard Heffler, 403-284-2961

    Sun Sep 27, 8:30am: Bird Wyndham-Carseland Prov. Park. Bring lunch. Meet at Anderson LRT (Macleod Tr) S. of pedestrian walkway. Leader, Howard Heffler, 403-284-2961.

    OCTOBER

    Thu Oct 1, 8am: Monthly Elbow River Birding Survey. Meet Stanley Park, 42 Av SW, just W of Macleod Tr. Walk to Glenmore Reservoir, ride back (3.5 hours). Call leaders, Aileen Pelzer/Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248, to ensure vehicle space for return.

    Sat Oct 3, 9am: Bird Votier’s Flats, FCPP at South end of Elbow Drive SW. Leader, Howard Heffler, 403-284-2961.

    Sun Oct 4, 8:30am: Bird Eagle Lake and vicinity. Meet Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, E end of 9 Av SE. Leader, Rob Worona, 403-984-7655.

    Sat Oct 10, 9:30am: Peak of Golden Eagle Migration, Mt. Lorette. Bring lunch. Meet Assumption School, 34th Av NW (NW corner of Sarcee Tr at Hwy #1).  Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

    Sun Oct 11, 9am: Bird North Glenmore Park. Meet Weaselhead Parking lot, 37 St & 66 Av SW.  Leader, Rob Worona, 403-984-7655.

    Sat Oct 17, 8am: Full day Raptor and Eagle Watching, Windy Point, Sheep River. Meet Anderson LRT (Macleod Tr), S of Pedestrian Overpass. Bring lunch, thermos of hot drink, warm, windproof clothing. 350 m climb to lookout site. Leader, Peter Roxburgh, 403-271-7033.

    Sat Oct 17, 9:30am: Late fall birding for rare gulls, loons, other waterfowl, late passerines and others (approximately 6 hrs). Meet N. Glenmore Park, in large lot overlooking the reservoir, west of the rowing club. Leader Terry Korolyk, 403-254-1878.

    Sun Oct 18, Bird Griffith Woods Park, 2.5km W on Hwy 8 from Sarcee Tr SW, then left at 69 St SW into Discovery Ridge. Continue straight at traffic circle, then left on Discovery Link into parking lot. Leader, Grant Brydle, 403-720-4957

    NOVEMBER (Note daylight savings time ends Sun Nov 1/09)

    Sun Nov 1, 8:15am: Monthly Elbow River Birding Survey. Meet Stanley Park, 42 Av SW, just W of Macleod Tr. Walk to Glenmore Reservoir, ride back (3.5 hours). Call leaders, Aileen Pelzer/Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248, to ensure vehicle space for return.

    Sun Nov 8, 9am: Bird the Bow River. Meet FCPP HQ parking lot, off Bow Bottom Trail SE. Leader, Tony Timmons, 403-256-0754.

    Sun Nov 15, 9am: Bird Bebo Grove-Shannon Terrace, FCPP. Meet parking lot S end of 24 St SW. Leader, Gus Yaki, 403-243-2248.

    Sun Nov 22, 9am: Bird Votier’s Flats, FCPP, S end of Elbow Dr SW. Leader, Grant Brydle, 403-720-4957.

    Sun Nov 29, 8:30am; Bird Sibbald/Exshaw/Harvie Heights. Meet Assumption School, 34th Av NW (NW corner of Sarcee Tr at Hwy #1). Bring lunch. Leader, Andrew Hart, 403-279-5209.

    Early Bird Prize

    Preparations are well under way for the Birds Calgary 2010 Event!

    We would like to announce we will be awarding an “early bird” prize to one lucky participant. The winner will be selected by a random draw
    from among everyone who is registered by midnight of October 31, 2009.

    Birds Calgary 2010 is a friendly competition, free and open to all.

    Participants keep a list of the bird species they see within the city in 2010, and submit their results quarterly. There are many different categories and some special competitions. The complete rules can be seen on the Nature Calgary website.

    One objective of this competition is to encourage new birders and young people to participate. We hope to increase the number of people involved in birding and nature study in Calgary, with the long-term goal of strengthening the voice of the conservation movement in Alberta.

    We are offering prizes as incentives, and if we can get a large number of registrants, we will be in a stronger position to solicit local companies for prizes and sponsorship. With that in mind we would like everyone to register as soon as possible, and to encourage others to do so.

    Obliging Owl

    Thank you to Dale Palmer for your email. He and his father were at Nose Hill Park last week, and snapped these photos of a Great Horned Owl. These big birds are not usually so obliging – they’re usually tucked away inside the branches, and require more than one look to see them. Great timing!

    Great horned owl, Nose Hill Park

    GHO nose hill park

    If you have pictures of birds in Calgary you would like to share, please email them to us at birdscount@shaw.ca and we’ll be happy to post them on the blog. Feel free to brag about your photos!

    Pat Bumstead