Communal raven route to overnight roosts

After a very busy day in Palmer, hundreds of ravens head east to the mountainside. This nightly ritual isn’t just a Palmer, Alaska phenomena; in fact it happens in many parts of North America. But specifically in our Palmer area, the Raven flights are very obvious. It’s as if all the local birds wear a little, synchronized wristwatch and—at the end of the day—they carefully orchestrate a communally timed flight back to their favorite old, large spruce trees for nighttime rest.

Every night, 15-20 minutes before sunset, large numbers of ravens will finish up their day of scavenging in Palmer and at the landfill. It seems that they generally head north and east to the foothills, where they roost at night. Apparently it happens year round but because of the time or the number, it is easier to spot them in the springtime.

Bird experts call it communal roosting. Ravens definitely travel together. Sometimes there is an orderly string. Sometimes there is just a deliberate pair. Rarely does one see a sole raven on the Raven Route. They fly with purpose. The destination is the roost which some say is a “Murder Tree.” Presumably all these ravens live and roost in the tree area. It is said that the roost locations may be just beyond the top of Smith Road or near the Lazy Mountain trailhead. Not being an ornithologist, I can’t speak with great wisdom about our ravens but I can comfortably repeat folklore and common observations. They are pretty smart birds and the Palmer ravens are definitely the best.

Our Townie Ravens are So Hearty—Even last week when it dipped to below zero, the brave Ravens were out and about foraging and socializing. They adore the Carrs/Safeway parking lot where there are always scraps and treats. (In fact, the ravens are so consistent in this particular parking lot, that my dogs much prefer I shop at Carrs, due to their excellent raven watching experience from the car.) Ravens and other birds do prefer elevation and like to perch on both the light poles in the parking lot and on the electrical wires along some roadsides. First of all it’s a convenient and safe, open space where they can observe, chat and rest. There usually aren’t any tree limbs to block the view so therefore they aren’t worried about predators. It’s both a great vantage point and a popular social gathering spot in the Raven community.

No Shock and Warm Toes—According to Professor Google, birds do not get electrical shocks when they sit on a single wire. Scientifically “both its feet are at the same electrical potential, so no current flows through its body.” I think the most important aspect would be the warm wire. Apparently the wires can generate slight heat and provide a comfortable spot for Raven’s to rest in the cold winter. It kinda reminds us of our heated vehicle seats and steering wheel. Given the choice, we always choose the comfort of helping heat.

Really???—It is easy to see why we all appreciate our geographic home-place near Palmer. Several times a week we are blessed with amazing sunrises, sunsets, aurora lights, and daily mountain views. We spend a lot of time admiring and sharing nature, it seems, as documented on the Palmer Alaska Buzz, the Facebook social media platform for our area. Despite the inclement weather and even soul sucking politics, the social-media feed for the Palmer Area is always filled with spectacular pictures of our land and mountains which we all love. Therefore it is sometimes difficult to realize and believe what is reported happening elsewhere in the world, or in our own country. When we look out the windows we don’t see violence, despair, anger, chaos; instead, when we look out our windows, we see the mountains, the huge sky, and the ever changing face of mother nature and earth’s children. How lucky are we?

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222