Soaring Birds

On Feb 16, 6:16*pm, "Dan Marotta" 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 have never seen crows soaring but last summer circled with swallows
(Martins?) at 11,000ft on a X/C here in Texas. Unfortunately one
impacted the horizontal stabilizer and died. Felt it hit and saw bits
of feathers later upon return to the field.

In Central California we have crows at the coast and Ravens inland.
The crows do indeed soar out here, but not to any great extent and
mostly they focus along the ridges and bluffs taking advantage of
ridge lift. Thermal wise, we're pretty limited on the coast by the
marine influence but I have seen them thermal on offshore days
especially.

The Ravens are great soaring birds. The only problem is that they
like to play around a lot and that makes them jokers of the sky. I
think they've figured out that if they circle, a big white glider will
come over to investigate. Then they seem to barrel roll, split S and
generally have a good laugh at the big white suckers.

On Feb 17, 8:39*am, lynn wrote:
On Feb 16, 6:16*pm, "Dan Marotta" 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 have never seen crows soaring but last summer circled with swallows
(Martins?) at 11,000ft on a X/C here in Texas. Unfortunately one
impacted the horizontal stabilizer and died. Felt it hit and saw bits
of feathers later upon return to the field.