rooks.org.uk

Hi, just found your site - good to know there are other rook lovers out there! I don’t know a great deal about rooks - I just really enjoy watching them - they often visit my garden and have even pinched the odd fat ball from the bird table! and they always look so clumsy the way the waddle! I saw one trip over a toasted bagel I threw out - he got his foot stuck in the hole and flew off in disgrace!!!

What I would really like to know is - are there any established rookeries in the Cumbria area - I found quite a lot of rooks with their young in Ullswater yesterday - I was so excited to see my first juvenile rooks - begging loudly and being fed by the adults - but would love to see a massive gathering. I was amazed how alike to a crow the juveniles were - at what age do they develop the large grey beak? also are there any books anyone would recommend about crows - their behaviour and life cycle - as long as it isn’t too scientific!!

Thanks

 Gill

hello, it was very nice to find this site, I’ve found the previous posts interesting and I hope someone here might be able to help me. I am hoping to obtain a field recording of a rookery, ideally a long recording (approx 20 minutes or more) of a rookery with lots of birds. So…questions. Does anyone have any recordings they would be willing to share? Does anyone know of any in the public domain anywhere or existing on record/tape/cd? The other solution to this is that I have the means to record outdoors myself, so alternatively does anyone know of any large rookeries in Southern Scotland/Northern England? Following on from that, is there any insights into rook behaviour that might help me. The smallish rookery nearby to me was looking/sounding empty when I went to visit it earlier this year but going past today (early March) there was a good few birds in the trees, so is there an ideal time of year and time of day that I would find the most birds present? Finally (phew..!) is there anything I should consider in trying to get fairly near to the nests to record, e.g. how near I can get without disturbing the birds.

Any ideas on the above would be very gratefully recieved, thank you.

sam

Life at The Rookery by Clare in NZ

I love life in the Rangitikei – it‘s a great place to come home to!!

The yearn to live rural again crept up on me in 2006 … and I came to view this property out of curiosity; solely because of its great location.

The Rangitikei has some fantastic uninterrupted panoramic views … and I walked inside this home and was immediately drawn to the breathtaking view of the kitchen window … and knew in an instant that I would live here. I have named this place “The Rookery”.

Perched at the top of the Kakariki Hill at Greatford; the views are simply breathtaking … some of the Rangitikei’s finest. It is a busy metropolis where man meets nature … and this Rangitikei rural landscape changes constantly.

With the backdrop of State Highway One, and the hubbub of the Halcombe/Feilding Road … life is never dull !!

Whilst cows graze lazily in the paddocks - gravel trucks, livestock trucks, horse floats and farm vehicles roll on by; and helicopters from Ohakea frequently fly directly overhead. At night, delivery trucks drive along this road all lit up like Xmas trees; each truck displaying its own unique set of lights.

However, as the night quietens - the stars come out in their brilliant display, and shooting stars are often seen ….. as a peaceful rural silence takes over. The sunsets and full moons are a sight to behold; and often when it rains a double rainbow often appears across the paddocks.

This Rangitikei rural view also holds some hidden treasures; as it is enfolded in nature…. like the sweet sounds of the skylarks in full song. Only this morning, my window revealed five hares all frolicking about in the paddock next door. Two of the jack hares put on a grand display …… and were unphased by a family of magpies.

All of nature seems to get along.

In heavy rain, the creek fills up, and I marvel at my window view watching the ducks swimming downstream with their ducklings.

“The Rookery” is of course all about rooks ……..The large black crows whom most New Zealanders have never seen … and do not know exist in this country.

Rooks are from the Corvidae species of birds – the most intelligent on the planet. Their brain to body ratio equals that of dolphins and almost humans. These birds are so clever and intelligent that scientists are now beginning to question: “Are Corvids really feathered Apes?”

The foyer at The Rookery plays host to many dormant rooks, all gazing down from their photos mounted on the walls. The house is also kept guard by its resident Soot, who likes
to be on sentry duty … eyeballing all visitors who enter and then leave the property.

At The Rookery the welfare of one seems to be the responsibility of all, so many alarm calls are sounded when other menagerie members feel a need to voice a concern.

There is much to occupy Soot’s day from watching the rooster and hens pecking, scratching and free-ranging about …….. to imitating the bark of my boisterous Pomeranian dog K.C. - with such exact precision that on any given day - you are never sure who is barking !!

Rook is also the very best of friends with a black rabbit named Nugget, and Sarn the Shetland sheepdog often sounds off a friendly bark of approval for Soot too.

At The Rookery the two resident goats Hebe and Phoebe are often very naughty … and like to jump on top of the chicken run, as well as the bee hives in the hope of plucking some apricot or willow tree leaves. It is fortunate that the bees are friendly and do not take offence to this invasion of privacy.

Blackie and Ebony, my pet sheep, also like to play chase with the goats - and they all clown around; kicking their feet up into the air and thumping down the side of the house for the pure joy of it. This commotion soon gets Soot’s attention, who responds with a loud commentary of her own.

This year’s addition to The Rookery menagerie is the late Bessie Fullerton-Smith’s cat Fluff who has decided that she is boss of all she surveys … and alarm squawks surface whenever she appears too close to Soot’s private space.

The State Highway One traffic is also a complete fascination to Soot, and any trucks that pass by too noisily get a scolding call!!

Soot has a love of Weetbix, and should breakfast be late - further scolding calls are sounded that can almost re-arrange your eardrums !!

At the weekend, the stillness of Rangitikei rural life takes over, and some evenings are so quiet and still that the peace of the rural landscape enwraps your soul with pure content. … It’s a fascinating place to be ……. with a charm all of its own, …………a fascinating window of Rangitikei rural life !!

I’m delighted to post these incredible images of rooks, created by John Foker.

They are just a part of a drawing entitled “a rook leap year” based on direct study of birds in and around Bearpark, Co Durham.

The overall dimensions are approx 50 cm high by 366 cm long and the drawing comprises 366 squares.

Click on the thumbnails to see a larger version of several squares. I think you’ll agree, these images really capture the essence of the rooks pictured.

For further information, please feel free to contact John Foker.

A company called Tiger Aspect Productions is making a series for ITV about the seasons and everything that is affected by them.

The series will give a big picture of what seasons really are, what impact they have on our lives and the land which we inhabit. This major, blue chip series gets shows us the power of the seasons and their wide ranging effects on Britain and its people.

From cities to the countryside, a combination of stunning photography and real life stories will reveal how our world rotates through its yearly cycle and why we are inextricably linked to the changes we call The Seasons.

This landmark series will be presented by Alan Titchmarsh and due to air next September. It is a truly national project and will feature a wide range of locations, people and wildlife.

They are very interested in filming Alan near some rooks.

Do you know of a good place to film them near Alton in Hampshire? If so, please contact sarahbarber@tigeraspect.co.uk.

This is Merlin, our resident rook who has been with us since he fell out of the nest this spring.

He completely rules the roost, putting the cats and dogs in their place and even having a go at the three peacocks!

Would love to hear from anyone else out there with a pet rook.

Jo Phillips

Update 7/12/08

There has only been one incidence of any interaction between Merlin and the wild rooks. In our garden [it being Rookery Farm] we have a pair of model plastic rooks, which have never attracted any interest from the wild rooks, nor very much from Merlin. One day back in September I heard a lot of cawing from a tree quite close to the house not normally frequented by rooks, Merlin became quite agitated, cawing quite frantically and then attacking a plastic rook viciously, climbing on its back [difficult as his feet kept slipping] and stabbing furiously at its head! The wild rooks went back to the rookery and have not attempted any further social interaction!

IBR

If you have a pet bird and are worried about it flying away and not being able to find its way back, it might be worth registering your bird with the IBR - £10 for 3 years cover. Your bird will be put on a database and will also receive a split telephone ring.

Letting your bird go

It will be very tricky dehumanising him if he is imprinted, if not impossible. Imprinted birds should under no circumstances be released.

• Firstly, it is against the law to release any imprinted animal, even wild ones. The penalty is a massive fine! We’re talking thousands!
• Secondly, it would most probably be a death sentence, a tame corvid would not last long once it started hanging around people for food or companionship, there are lots of people out there that hate corvids and will kill them if they catch them.

You will need to make a decision about his future. You could either take him to a rescue centre with others of his own kind, or you might decide to keep him youself, a big commitment, and one not to be taken lightly!

Update 20/1/09
When we came here 15 years ago we were told the terrible tale of how the baby rooks were shot out of their nests in rookery wood some time in the 60’s. The adults left and did not return for many years. When they did eventually return, they nested in the poplar trees to the west of the farmhouse and not in the wood.

At present, the main rookery continues to be located in the poplar trees with outlying nests around the garden, and usually one or two in the wood. I do not know how long there has been a rookery here, but judging by the fact that the house has always been known as Rookery Farm, The Rookery, or The Rookery Farm, and was originally built around 1700 probably a very long time indeed.

The wood is classified as ancient woodland and must have predated the farmhouse. I know arable farmers do not like rooks, but as someone with cattle and horses I regard them as the farmer’s friend. We like to make sure the pasture is grazed low in early spring and left to rest. The rooks come onto the land to feed and thoroughly cleanse the grass by eating worms and other parasites, and also harrow the droppings, saving us a job.

Abstract

The study was conducted to see if the Rooks behaviour changes as the breeding season approaches. The ecology of the Rook was researched to decipher which aspects of its behaviour could be used in the field to test the hypothesis. Rooks utilise different food resources throughout the year dependent on factors such as its breeding season. Rooks are a monogamous species, where both the female and male contribute to the success of the offspring. They are social birds often found foraging and nesting together with Jackdaws. The results showed there were significant differences in behaviour as the breeding season approached. Moreover, there were observed but untested data which also support the hypothesis. Following the study further interesting behaviours were observed which can lead to further studies.

Read the whole project (PDF)

On my way to work from Cambridge to Soham I pass several groups of rooks on the road from Lode to Burwell and around Wicken Fen.  There are another group on the site of the school where I work.  As I understand it, these sites are rookeries, which are distinct from roosts. Is that right? If so, does anyone know of a roost in the east cambs area where I could go and watch the rooks gather in the evening?

Rooks in New Zealand are being eradicated using DRC 1339 poison. Regional councils throughout New Zealand are poisoning rooks in droves.

They use Helicopter Poisoning Operations to drop DRC 1339 poison into the rook nests with sticky poisoned vaseline during the breeding season and the birds take 1 to 3 days to die after preening themselves.

Toxins build up to a lethal level with the kidneys no longer able to excrete waste products and the birds die from uremic poisoning.

• DRC 1339 Poison is also laid on the ground using poisoned bread bait lines.
• DRC 1339 is toxic to poultry.
• Livestock and pets are also at risk from eating the poisoned bait.
• Most dead rooks are found near their rookeries or near water; however in midsummer … some rooks are found dead 20kms from their rookeries.
• DRC 1339 is toxic to fish and water invertebrates.
• Some plant species are also affected by DRC 1339 Poison.
• DRC 1339 is only to be used when serious and sustained crop damage has occurred, which cannot be alleviated by other means.
• However, in New Zealand Rookeries are being poisoned simply because they are there!!
• DRC 1339 is corrosive to the skin and eyes and in a June 2008 warning is “acutely toxic”.

Can you help to save the rooks??
Email rookery@xtra.co.nz for further information as soon as possible.

Rooks were introduced to New Zealand by settling farmers, to help control the insects in their crops. They are beneficial to farmers, and are causing no harm.

Update 12/1/09
Many thanks to everyone who’s been in touch concerning this. There is some really good news to report - the original submission to Horizons has left them going back to the drawing board to review their Pest Management Policy.

Also, at the hearing, there is now more information to include, thanks to the community here at rooks.org.uk.

There’s still plenty to do, though, so do please contact Clare if you can help in any way:
rookery@xtra.co.nz

Tim Mitzman is a British film maker, currently making a film involving inner-city crows which he then intends to juxtapose with the more sociable rooks. The filming will continue until the summer of 2009.

If you know of a good roost to film (in Britain) then please contact him via email tim@sharpfocus.uk.com.