A Rook

I illustrated my rant about the shortsightedness of modern “science” with a photo of a Common Raven. The bird in the recent experiment was actually a Rook, of course, and I’ve managed to dig up a photo of that species taken in Wales last summer.

It’s a pretty poor photo even by my standards, but you can see the weird, angular head, and the disproportionately long and sharp bill, features that always make me think of a heron when I see Rooks.

I’ve lived among Rooks on a couple of different occasions, but my fondest memories are from a place the species did not breed. Evening flocks passing over Westphalia, with Jackdaws and Carrion and Hooded Crows mixed in, were a sure sign that winter was near, and we knew to stay out until after dark to listen as the hisses of Redwings took over from the barking and croaking of the corvids.