Hi Ontbirders, Eve Ticknor's recent note (30 January) about the large numbers of American crows at Billings Bridge in Ottawa prompts me to add a few details. We live immediately south of Billings Bridge & have watched during the past two months as the crows make their way towards the south-west about an hour before dawn. It's almost impossible to give an accurate count but I estimate somewhere between 2,000 & 3,000. Travelling "as the crow flies" they will likely end up in the general vicinity of the Trail Road municipal dump off Moodie Drive. The crows return, as Eve noted, around 3h.30 in the afternoon & settle in the same considerable numbers in trees (or buildings) close to Billings Bridge. This appears to be a pre-roosting gathering &, as dusk falls, they mostly move on, possibly to the roosts mentioned as being in the vicinity of the Ottawa Hospital General Campus. Last night (31st) was a little different, perhaps because of the deteriorating weather. Upwards of 2,000 crows remained in our area (Bavlie Avenue, south of Billings Bridge & west of Bank Street) & stayed throughout the night before setting off again to find food this morning. Incidentally, there is an interesting article by Jeffrey Moore & Paul Switzer ("Pre-roosting aggregations in the American crow") published in the Canadian Journal of Zoology (Vol. 76, No. 3, March 1998). Roger Clark Ottawa The park at Billings Bridge is next to the intersection of Riverside Drive and Bank Street on the south side of the Rideau River. Riverside can be accessed from the 417 (head south) or from Hunt Club Road (head north). The roost area near the hospital campus is between Alta Vista Drive and Smythe Road, again easily accessed from Riverside Drive. "Roger Clark" <erogclark@rogers.com>

A bit further again on this posting. Today a great many crows were in 2 fields along Prince of Wales Drive, just north of Fallowfield Rd, as well as in trees on both sides of the roads around 2pm. This must be a gathering area for these birds prior to heading northeast towards the areas of Billings Bridge and the hospitals. Daily now there is a "river' of crows heading southwest right over the same fields in early morning, but not stopping. Eve (ps. I think any more of this should probably go on OntarioBirding...) > We live immediately south of Billings Bridge & have watched during the past > two months as the crows make their way towards the south-west about an hour > before dawn. It's almost impossible to give an accurate count but I > estimate somewhere between 2,000 & 3,000. Travelling "as the crow flies" > they will likely end up in the general vicinity of the Trail Road municipal > dump off Moodie Drive. > > The crows return, as Eve noted, around 3h.30 in the afternoon & settle in > the same considerable numbers in trees (or buildings) close to Billings > Bridge. This appears to be a pre-roosting gathering &, as dusk falls, they > mostly move on, possibly to the roosts mentioned as being in the vicinity of > the Ottawa Hospital General Campus. > > Last night (31st) was a little different, perhaps because of the > deteriorating weather. Upwards of 2,000 crows remained in our area (Bavlie > Avenue, south of Billings Bridge & west of Bank Street) & stayed throughout > the night before setting off again to find food this morning. eve ticknor <sandbird@magma.ca>