On 2/16/2012 7:30 PM, BravoCharlie wrote:
On Feb 16, 6:16 pm, "Dan wrote:
Long ago, I read in Soaring Magazine (I think) that crows don't soar. This
morning, I watched three crows thermalling right outside my living room
window. I went and stood in the window for a couple of minutes and watched
the three of them hanging tight and climbing. After a while, they headed
out on course!

Last summer a friend and I were standing on Sandia Crest watching the crows
ridge soaring. One in particular was having a great time. We watched him
pull up sharply and execute 3 snap rolls in succession and then reverse
course on the ridge. And, to prove it wasn't a fluke, that feathered
aviator reversed again, gained speed in the ridge lift, pulled up, and did 3
more snap rolls!

I have no doubt - crows enjoy flying!

Now, if spring soaring season would only arrive...

I suspect they were Ravens.

"What Bob C. said."

That said, I've seen swallows (barn and violet green) soaring, and it wouldn't
surprise me if plenty more species of birds not generally thought of as
soaring birds, soar. The only great blue heron I ever saw soaring was from a
sailplane; we were both about 6,000' agl.

Regards,
Bob W.