I have been tracking some of our radio-tagged juveniles into this roost.
There are a few that we trapped in the Turner's Corner area (W of Maltby)
that spend the night in this roost, and one that we trapped down near Lake
Joy (it seems to spend its days south of Monroe now).

I've seen them coming in from the NW - does anyone know if they come all
the way down from Everett? I haven't tried to estimate the size of this
roost but if other people do, I'd be interested in their counts.

thanks,
john

John C. Withey
College of Forest Resources
Seattle, WA 98195-2100
crow at u.washington.edu

On Mon, 19 Feb 2001, Stan Kostka wrote:

> Late this afternoon I noticed large groups of crows moving overhead in
> Snohomish . I followed them out of town just over the Pilchuck River
> where they were congregating in a hybrid poplar (?) plantation . I
> parked
> (where I did not block any gates) crossed an open field (unfenced and
> not posted) walked the railroad tracks and paced off about 1000 feet of
> trees where the birds were congregating, apprarently preparing to
> roost. there were not as many birds at the outer edges so lets say 800
> feet. I could not see how far the birds went back into the trees away
> from me but as I walked beneath them through the plantation I never saw
> to the end of them and turned around and headed back to the tracks as it
> got dark. so lets say they were as far back into the plantation as
> they were spread out along the railroad tracks. 800 by 800 feet. the
> trees appeared to be planted about 8 feet on center so thats about 100
> by 100 trees or 10,000 trees, with between 2 and 3 birds per tree, so
> lets say 25,000 crows. I have no idea how accurate this estimate may
> be. maybe someone else would like to give it a try. It was pretty
> loud. they were definately aware of me as I walked under them but
> they seemed oblivious to a passing train. too dark by then to look for
> leg bands.
>
> Stan Kostka
> Arlington Wa
> lynnandstan at earthlink.net
>
>