Yesterday I took advantage of the cooler weather to do some birding in the La Junta area including some of the canyon area to the south. When I spotted some birds about a quarter mile away starting to ride a thermal I expected it would be a kettle of hawks. To my surprise it was instead a kettle of ravens--about 70-80 of them. As I watched the kettle grow it seemed as though someone blew a train whistle to signal that it was time to go as ravens just started coming from over the canyon walls and out of all parts of the area to join in. I believe they were Chihuahuan Ravens as a few closer birds sounded and looked like them. By the time I got my tripod out and set-up to video this spectacle almost all of them had vanished, likely riding off on the thermal high in the sky.
Last January I observed a much larger group of more than 500 Chihuahuan Ravens rise in two kettles in West Texas--they rose higher and higher until each group went off high above the ground in different directions. I have read that winter gatherings of Chihuahuan Ravens in that area and New Mexico can mount into the thousands. SeEtta Moss Canon City http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobi...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
