Could have been more but noticed a couple crows frollicking and recognized that this manner of flight was the annual mating chase whereas in this case two crows chasing another diving and swooping indicated the aforementioned.....almost immediately another small group came along followed by yet another of 5 or 6 crows strung out but unable to stay and count. Having had to leave the immediate area I returned in about ten minutes to see yet a few more but they could have just been swooping about the area not being far from the original sighting.
Our season doesn't begin until the 16th so far as I recall. But in the past years I have seen where they came through completely bypassing the season straggling up from their winter roosting grounds....small handfuls and singles working their way further north..I was caught by surprise given that it seemed too wintry just yet to see this and there is nothing to sustain the crow in this area in numbers but for a few potentially accessible dumpsters whereas the usual 4 are all the local crows here. No roosts at all... so fellow NH crow busters stay tuned!