Goose Stepping Crows

I was back in Deception Pass State Park this week watching crows at West Beach again.

This pair of Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus) came marching by in an orderly, military manner.  Their steps were in perfect unison as if a marching band was playing.

Zooming in on the above photo reveals feathers and fibers being carried in their beaks.  I presume these are being collected for use as nesting materials.  This is apparently a cooperative effort by the pair.

Northwestern Crows could be classified as shorebirds. They nest and make their living around salt water beaches and estuaries.  It is common to spot them foraging for mussels, clams  and snails on rocky beaches at low tide.  They are distinguished from American Crows by a smaller size and deeper voice.