camwyn | (no subject)

The raven was back this morning. Actually, it was back yesterday, too; it landed in a tree outside my bedroom window. BIG black bird, with a heavy curved beak, more so than the local crows- and larger than the crows, too. Couldn't verify the shagginess of its throat feathers or the feathers near its beak as the winds were severe enough to be blowing its feathers the wrong way; birds that size should not look like they have shaggy backs. Didn't see it this morning, but I heard the croaking before the Home Depot guys got here. There's nothing else in this area that makes that sound.

Don't know where it lives. I'm assuming that it's roosting somewhere comparatively nearby, though. I've seen it, and briefly one other raven, four times in the past two weeks; I don't think they're passing through. I mean, I don't remember them being migratory birds. If I had to guess where they lived I'd probably say Snake Island, but that has more to do with the first two raven sightings having been birds that flew over the harbor from the direction of the island rather than spotting them in island trees or seeing a nest. It, or they, could be roosting out on Deer Island, which has a significant number of trees and is maybe a mile or so past Snake Island as the ... well, as the raven flies. Or they could be roosting somewhere else and it's just a coincidence. There are American crows in this area, and I usually hear them from the west, towards East Boston. I know juvenile ravens sometimes hang out among murders of crows. I think the primary bird I've seen is adult sized, but I don't know for sure.

It's a raven. It goes where it wants to. I just like knowing it's around.

ETA: went back and looked through my species lists for the year, not just the month. I've been seeing/hearing the raven since March 22nd. If that bird doesn't have a place to sleep somewhere around here I'll be very surprised.