Escalating the War on Crows
Two upstate dispatches from the War on Crows: Rochester has started a program of "crow hazing," citing the similar programs in other upstate cities, among them Albany and Rochester. And in Watertown, "special remote-controlled aircraft" have been used against the crows --and last month the city council there approved a plan to shoot crows. (Going lethal against a flock of 30,000 intelligent birds? Isn't this always where the plot twists?) [Democrat & Chronicle via Capital] [Watertown Daily Times] Earlier on AOA: A dossier on our crow invaders
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I love the crows in Troy. And they never used to bother anybody back when they could nestle in for the night on Starbuck (aka Center) Island in the middle of the river.
It was only after a developer chopped down all the trees and slapped up a plastic development there ( http://www.albanyriversedge.com/ ) that the crows became displaced and everyone started trying to push them out of the surrounding neighborhoods.
For anyone who likes crows and is looking for fun gift for children, there's a great book called "As The Crow Flies," by Sheila Keenan and illustrated by Kevin Duggan. The illustrations feature the crows amongst the streets and skyline of Troy, NY!
You can see the illustrations and read the text of that book in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwHV2M_DkwQ
... said Duncan Crary on Dec 3, 2013 at 12:46 PM | link
I'm rooting for the crows.
... said Rob on Dec 3, 2013 at 12:49 PM | link
Always rooting for the crows.
... said ethan on Dec 3, 2013 at 1:18 PM | link
Yeah, I'm firmly on Team Crow. Also, thanks for the book recommendation Duncan, sounds neat!
... said Gina M on Dec 3, 2013 at 1:27 PM | link
I invite anyone who is currently pro-crow to walk my dogs with me so you can view their @ss-crowlery firsthand.
I'm already blacklisted since they've clearly read previous comments I've written on AoA. I have nothing to lose in speaking out against them at this point.
... said Valerae on Dec 3, 2013 at 1:36 PM | link
@Valerae - I jog, walk & bike everywhere. I see their "mess" all over the place. So what? It only lasts a few weeks, then they move on. In the meantime, I watch them move from roost to roost throughout the day, over the course of days, & wonder why they choose the places they do; I listen to them babble & quork in their secret languages; I hear the tight snappy flapping of their wings in the evenings after all the noisy cars have gone to bed.
We should all count ourselves lucky that they are not locusts. Or plague rats. Or genocidal zealots.
While we are making pro-crow book recommendations, I picked up a copy of Crow Planet, by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, from The Book House & really enjoyed it.
... said ethan on Dec 3, 2013 at 2:18 PM | link
I spend a lot of time complaining about the crows in my part of the Center Square/Hudson-Park neighborhood but surprisingly, now that I'm away from Albany for a weeks over the holidays, I miss them.
(Plus, I don't even need to set my alarm in the morning. The crows wake me up.)
... said Paula on Dec 3, 2013 at 4:08 PM | link
@Valerae, you might want to try wearing this: http://mcphee.com/shop/crow-mask.html
Maybe get some for the dogs too, keep things interesting.
... said Gina M on Dec 3, 2013 at 4:33 PM | link
Another pro-crow Trojan here. They hang out in my backyard in the silver maple at dusk. Once the sun goes down but it's still light enough to see at this time of year (about 5ish), there's as many of them in the tree as there were leaves a few months ago. And Ethan, I love listening to them talk amongst themselves, as well.
Just let them be.
... said Cmaxby on Dec 3, 2013 at 4:46 PM | link
Crows are flying rats.
... said Ron on Dec 4, 2013 at 10:54 AM | link
@Gina if there is ever something I could do in this life to challenge my dogs' love for me it would be wearing that mask! Truly unforgivable (and creepy as all get out).
... said Valerae on Dec 4, 2013 at 1:34 PM | link