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Subject:

Eagles AA County

From:

Joanne Howl

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Sun, 10 Oct 2010 10:10:05 -0400

I spent yesterday (Saturday) working out in the yard in my south AA county home.  At one point, I looked up to see two BALD EAGLES flying low.  They circled upward, and I was able to count at least 4 more in the next few minutes.  Also a RED SHOULDERED HAWK and a probably NORTHERN HARRIER.   Along with these birds, there were four of five BLACK VULTURES and a half-dozen or so TURKEY VULTURES.  

I kept hearing a very strange CROW - kind of a "kurring" call, throaty and deep - almost mechanical.   The crow making this noise was chased over the house by another obviously AMERICAN CROW, who was calling.  The odd crow flew into the trees, making a croaking noise, and the other flew off.   I do NOT think it was a RAVEN, as the sound was not classical for raven (according to the recordings, as I do not have experience with this species!).  The size was the same as the crow.  I was trying to look at the bill as it flew over, and didn't notice anything different.  I forgot to look to see if the tail was different.  I think it was a crow, but just very odd. 

I also heard a deep, "kurring", almost a deep trill, coming from the crows.   At one point, I heard that sound coming right at me, looked up, and saw a group of six crows chasing a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.   The hawk flew almost over me, low, the crows seemed to get distracted at that point, and broke off, flying back to their trees.  

I have never heard these strange crow sounds - maybe agitation?  

Joanne


Joanne Howl, DVM

West River, MD