On a winter evening walk through Lincoln Inns Field, I am delighted to see this murder of crows gathering to roost in the twilight. I grab my camera from my pocket and shoot a quick video clip before they settle down for the night. 

My short film clip is stylised and edited in slow motion, which also affects the sound of the cawing crows. I love the slow downed caws resulting in deepened tones.

This amazing murder of crows also inspired me to write my first poem of the new year. How about that! What a bonus! 

Night Brings Home The Crows

When the evening wind blows
Night brings home the crows
A murdering throng
Of caw-cawing song 
Returned from roaming
Flying fast
And free 
In the eery gloaming
together to their tree
In gathered swooping swirling flight
Black wings fly to branches stark
Home to roost before the dark
of night
In descending dimming skies
The early evening wind sighs
And blows 
As the crows
fly
through 
silhouetted soughing boughs
Crepuscular laced 
Tree-line traced
black-veined
Beams
crisscross lances
twigs and branches
Against a sunless
sky 
Where mysterious twilight gleams
goodbye

Lesley Scoble – January 2022

My humble apologies for seeking applause with a clapometer—but giving me the clap (eh?!;) clicking the clapometer would make an aspiring performance-poet very happy! 🙂

Know The Crow

The gregarious crow hangs out in close-knit family groups, and gathers in large numbers to roost in a sociable bond of protection. They are loyal birds that mate for life.

When a crow comes to call

I have a personal acquaintance with a local crow who each year visits our city balcony and calls out loud (very loud) to us. He remembers that our place occasionally offers food. He will arrive in the Spring to perch and call and wait unafraid while we fill the dinner plate.

Later, he will bring his juveniles to eat at the local balcony café, too.

Crows do not forget who is kind to them and will return each year to find you.

The Crow Language

I am fascinated by their calls. They have a vast range of different calls—I should love to learn their language! I already understand one phrase for “Please, can I have some more” and the distress call, I know, of course. This alarming call will summon all crows in the area to their aid because crows will rush to the rescue of unrelated strangers and defend them.

Crows (Corvidae) are among the most intelligent animals on the planet. They are smart, sociable and caring creatures. They have a lot to crow about!

Farewell for now, and mind how you go crow x