The Hawk and the Crow(s)
 

Just watched some interesting avian behavior:

A hawk, likely a red tail as I caught a glimpse of bronze on the tail, flys over and perches in a tall oak. Later I notice what looks like an active squirrel's nest in the next tree easily observed by the hawk.

About 30 seconds later a solitary crow flies over and makes several menacing dives at the hawk. The crow flies off.

Seconds later, 7 crows appear from the direction that the solitary crow left. Several crows make a couple menacing dives at the hawk. Crows fly off.

Seconds later what appears to be another group of crows enter the area (from the direction opposite that which the 7 crows left). Several take roost in a large white pine about a hundred feet from the perching hawk.

The hawk starts getting nervous (my interpretation) and takes a low flight path out of the area. I do not see any crows in chase.

Within the next minute or so the sky and pine perch are filled with over 30 crows. They hang around for a few minutes and then all fly off. The skies are quite again.

I do notice a ruffling of leaves coming from the squirrel nest as it readies for a long, good night's sleep.

Peace has returned to the wilds of Brockton (at least the 1/2 acre of trees behind my house).

dem black things are smart and do communicate
Why is it every history book about European battles talk about the crows congregating at time of battle? Dinner!

The hawk was probably threatening a crow's nesting area.

it was a murder

When ever you hear a bunch of crows making a racket,
they are usually either harassing a hawk or their mortal enemy
the owl.

I've also seen them after baby squirrels in large groups too.

I had a small screech owl, "Hooty", and a pet crow, "Joe" when
i was younger and they never did get along. :doh: Hooty was in a large screened
cage, Joe was always free and wouldn't leave the neighborhood.
However every morning he would sit in the maple tree above the
owl's cage and squawk for 10-15 minutes. :)

Ben Franklin said that if men were birds not many would get to be crows.