Bye Bye Blackbird
We took a drive in the 17 degree weather to enjoy the bright sunshine and crisp day. Luckily we were warmly in our heated car as we took in the views. 
Along the Susquehanna River were these crows on Sumac trees. It almost looked like a blackbird tree with many of them waiting to be picked.
Normally I don’t like crows, because they are loud, they are scavengers, and remind me of Ravens that of course I identify with evil or death. Today for some reason, they caught my attention. 
After some reading, I learned that American Crows are actually very inteligent birds that are social and are most often seen in groups rather than alone. 
They often stay together in year round family groups which consist of the mating pair and their offspring of the past two years. 
They also congregate in large numbers in the winter. That explains the large flock we saw today gathered on the river.
Another interesting fact I learned is that the oldest crow in captivity died at the age of 59. In the wild the oldest recorded was 16. I had no idea they could live that long.
Here I go,
Singing low,
Bye bye blackbird,
Where somebody waits for me,
Sugar’s sweet, so is she,
Bye bye
Blackbird! ~ Lyrics from Bye Bye Blackbird
January 10th, 2010 at: 4:54 am
Your crow photos are fabulous … especially the in flight one! These are very important birds and I do have a love/dislike relationship with them.I believe are important to Native Americans. You might like Leonard Baskin’s work … he loved crows. I confess that sometimes I open the window or doors and clap my hands together to create a loud sound and the crows will fly… It makes me laugh each time and I do feel so powerful. Silly… but crows can make such a racket! They also steal baby birds and thus I am the self appointed protector of the bird life here. As my son Sean said over twenty years ago … as a young 5 year old ornithologist …” they are beautiful in flight.”
January 10th, 2010 at: 11:39 am
Thanks for the great pics and the writeup about crows. Like you I have never really cared for them, but when you read up on them it sheds a different light doesn’t it?
January 10th, 2010 at: 12:15 pm
There’s something about blackbirds that captures my imagination. Perhaps I’ve been influenced by the Beatles’ lyrics, Blackbird sining in the dead of night…” I recently downloaded Sarah McLachlan singing, Blackbird. Sometimes the very creatures we find repulsive or frightening don’t deserve the bad rap humans have subjected them to. You’ve inspired me, I may go searching for some blackbird photo ops myself.
January 10th, 2010 at: 1:21 pm
These are great pictures of the crows. We have seen quite a few of them around here, but mostly on the ground, not in a blackbird tree.
January 10th, 2010 at: 9:02 pm
I love the blackbird tree! My mother had a pet crow when I was a child. He was very intelligent. We have lots of crows in our area. The whole flock will come to the defense if one member is threatened.
January 10th, 2010 at: 9:44 pm
I love that you included the screen grab of the cartoon because I was thinking of those characters as I was scrolling down.
LOL.
January 11th, 2010 at: 6:22 am
The crows do make a stunning, sharp contrast of varied shapes against the landscape! Lovely photos!
January 11th, 2010 at: 9:10 am
Hi Teresa, thanks for that info! We like the crows, but they are very noisy in the mornings of summer when I like to sit out with my coffee and contemplate my navel, or the garden. Your shots are wonderful!
Frances