Winter Crow Roost in North Bethesda (aka White Flint, Pike & Rose, Rockville) , 2024-2025

[james wilson]

The North Bethesda crow roost is happening again this winter, it is now located around Nicholson Lane, Citadel Ave. and Marinelli Road just east of Rockville Pike in the North Bethesda neighborhood (aka White Flint, aka Pike & Rose) about 3 miles north of I-495. 

I have been observing this roost for decades, but this winter I live right here and have been observing it almost daily since October.  I roughly estimate it at well over 20,000 crows.  Most of the crows seem to be going north and west from the roost, I have not seen many going east or south.

Last week Craig Gibson, who operates the site Winter Crow Roost and is a great expert on this phenomenon, passed through, and we viewed the crows arriving to the roost on the evening of January 21.  He then blogged about the North Bethesda roost on his web site and posted some photos:

 https://www.wintercrowroost.com/winter-crow-roost-north-bethesda-md/

I also note there was a conversation about the crow roost in this group two years ago:

https://groups.google.com/g/mdbirding/c/pBu_1IRUWRg/m/RZsUnxKRAQAJ

I would like to restart the conversation about this fascinating phenomenon.  I am especially curious about the daily streams of crows into and out of the roost area; and I have observed and taken notes on these streams over 40 times since October.  I live 1/2 mile from the roost at Pike & Rose but would love to hear from folks who live anywhere else and who have noticed these streams of crows that occur around sunrise and sunset daily and last for over a half hour.  If you've seen such streams please let us know where when what direction heading if you can.

There is also a quite significant roost at Shirlington in Arlington County; I'll start a separate conversation about that one.

 

[Sarah Lister]

A few years ago I was at Blue Mash on a winter afternoon and watched a steady river of crows heading south-ish. Hundreds, if not >1,000 individuals, with no end in sight. I assumed they were heading to the Rockville roost. Their calls were both American and Fish, neither more obviously prevalent than the other. I heard (don't recall from whom) that they do roost in mixed flocks in winter. 

I live in NW Washington DC. In late afternoon the neighborhood crows head south. Possibly to the Arlington roost? They are certainly crossing the river into VA.

A fascinating phenomenon indeed. Enjoy! Sarah Lister

--
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/358b4810-64aa-4964-8f0b-d0b1ba5324aen%40googlegroups.com.

[Andy Martin]

Have not been over that way in 5/6 years to check, so don't know if it is still a winter crow nexus, but there used to be a roost in the vicinity of the New Carrollton, MD Metro and Amtrak station. Wonder how many there are in the MD, DC, VA metro area?  Be fascinating to see them (the roosts) mapped. Wonder if this can be "sussed" out of eBird data?

Andy Martin

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CANomUJvw3jAYpUOq3YUvTWQVw6C1LDDM%2BnFuA9QFYj4Te309DQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Cass]

I have seen large groups of fish crows headed northwest in the afternoons over the northern tip of DC in the last couple weeks. Not sure if that's where they're going but it tends to be fish crows that fly over in that direction in large groups in the last few years.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CAERjN5%3Di-S0W7uwz%2BcMp-qD5YuHa3P522%2B7LW48GxMxy6zFk1w%40mail.gmail.com.

[David Mozurkewich]

The New Carrollton roost is alive and well though a bit smaller than the
Rockville roost. Typically 5,000- 6,000 birds. I didn't get a good
count this winter since the fight path shifted and they no longer fly
directly over my house.

David Mozurkewich
Laham MD

> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/358b4810-64aa-4964-8f0b-d0b1ba5324aen%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
> >> .

> >>
> > --
> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the
> > Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
> > To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this
> > group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
> > Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it
> > here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html
> > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> > send an email to mdbirding+...@googlegroups.com.
> > To view this discussion visit

> > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CANomUJvw3jAYpUOq3YUvTWQVw6C1LDDM%2BnFuA9QFYj4Te309DQ%40mail.gmail.com
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CANomUJvw3jAYpUOq3YUvTWQVw6C1LDDM%2BnFuA9QFYj4Te309DQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
> > .
> >
>

[Andy Martin]

Thanks for the update David!

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/20250128160012.0f2319cf%40verizon.net.

[Jim Felley]

It would be interesting to try to follow a morning line of crows from the roost, to see where they are going.

In winter, the agricultural fields of north and west Montgomery County (around Damascus, Clarksburg, Barnesville and Poolesville) are sprinkled (sometimes thickly) with crows.  I have surmised that these are individuals from the North Bethesda roost, but obviously that is just a guess.

Jim

Jim Felley

Clarksburg, MD

[Carol Daugherty]

I live in N Bethesda, near 270, and the crows fly by my house every morning, headed northwest - and then return in the afternoon. Sometimes they also fly by my office at 270 and Shady Grove Rd. I think they go to work the fields upcounty, and I often see flocks of them off Route 28, in the Poolesville area.

It's a fascinating winter phenomenon! I think it's been going on for at least 50 years. I believe they used to roost near the old Shriver estate.

Carol Daugherty

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/673a34e9-8593-43d8-997f-b542f2180992n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jared Fisher]

The birds that head west feed in agricultural fields out toward homestead farms and further west. I see them over my house in Darnestown on their return journey to roost quite often. Often, it's more Fish Crows than American but it might change a bit by date. My highest count at the house has been north of 4000 in late Nov/Dec, and I believe that was a day when I only heard Fish Crows. When flying back to roost the birds fly mostly in a loose line j100-200 feet wide and can pass over for 45 minutes or more. Being this close to the weather station in Sterling and, depending on the density and height of the birds, they are often visible on radar. Here is a screen grab from one afternoon showing the line of crows from Darnestown to the roost in Rockville. 

Jared Fisher

Darnestown MD

--

-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'.
To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com
Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/358b4810-64aa-4964-8f0b-d0b1ba5324aen%40googlegroups.com.

[paul....@gmail.com]

New birder here with a crow-related question:

I live in Rockville and I think I am familiar with the daily traveling of crows to/from Whiteflint. We normally get daily movements of crows around 630am in the morning and then evenings around 4:30-5, when I assume they are heading back. Today something like  hundred crows (American and fish) stopped very close to my house, flying in various directions, and hanging out in various trees in a pretty dense two-ish block area. This went on for about 20-30 minutes, and then they left. Anyone have any idea what that is about?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CAN%3DjEvKSHL%3D62jLCC9TDyc3mABFSduisnu-zOD%3Dce%2Bud3DhvrA%40mail.gmail.com.

[James Wilson]

Thanks to everyone who posted in reaction to my original post about this roost!

Paul, this phenomenon is called "staging".   The crows often gather in locations that may be quite close to the actual roost, and hang out in large noisy groups for a bit before moving on to the actual roost as it gets dark.  At these staging locations there can be 1,000s of crows on the branches of trees, and lots of cawing, and from time to time many of them take off, make a few big circles and settle back down. 

A great staging location for the N. Bethesda roost is off Wilkins Avenue just north of Randolph (behind G Street Fabrics), about 0.6 miles north of the roost.  I'd be interested to hear exactly where you have seen staging.

There is also some staging at locations much farther from the roosts.  Some crows come from 10 miles away or further and may hang out for a bit at spots along the way, perhaps junctions where crows coming from different directions join and discuss.

Thank you all for your posts!  More to come....

Jim

[James Wilson]

Jared, your capture of the stream of crows on radar is amazing, I would really like to be able to do that!  

Can you tell us how you did it?  Was it just from the radar on the NOAA site, or an app (I have RadarScope Pro on my phone).  Any special settings?  And does it have to be a clear day probably?  And is it possible to capture video?

Thanks so much for sharing that.

Jim

[James Wilson]

Big thank you to all who responded and provided more intelligence about the North Bethesda crow roost and where these crows spend their days.  The various observations, and radar capture yesterday (more on that below) expand on what I have observed from near the roost area:  the crows are mainly going north (Laytonsville, roughly) and west (Darnestown, on to Poolesville maybe) and also northwest (maybe Clarksburg).  I captured these three streams on weather radar Saturday evening, thanks to Jared's suggestion; the streams were fairly clear from about 4:45 to 5:05 PM.  Will try to attach.

If anyone can be more specific about exactly where they have seen significant numbers of crows either en route to/from the roost, or staging in big groups, I would appreciate it.  Please provide an intersection, and time, direction, if you know, perhaps even order of magnitude how many crows.  I'd like to make a few trips out to see them.

I also intend to do a rough count of the North Bethesda roost, by capturing on video the 2-3 main streams very close to the roost, and counting based on the videos.  I expect it will be 20,000-30,000 based on rough counts earlier in the winter.

Thanks again all, do tell more if you can, either to group or just me if you prefer.

Jim

On 1/29/2025 1:32 PM, Jared Fisher wrote:

[james wilson]

The winter crow roost at North Bethesda is happening again this year, the birds are back in large numbers already.  I am observing them daily from my apartment at Pike and Rose (and other locations at times), would again love to hear from folks who either see them coming and going from the roost, or have some insights on the exact roost locations.  I find many crows again along Citadel Avenue between Nicholson Lane and Marinelli, but I suspect there are other locations.

There will be a presentation and walking tour about the roost on December 7, I will post about that separately.

Thanks for anything anyone can share about this fascinating bit of bird social behavior.

Jim