British Birds 2

A cornucopia of corvids!Magpie (Pica pica), seen throughout my walk, usually flying away from a field. This one was in London, and was the first bird I photographed on this trip. There was even one in the backyard of my hotel in London, on Norfolk Square, heard more often than seen. A magnificent animal, absurdly persecuted by very small minds until quite recently. (I remember similar animus expressed towards the genus’s American version, the Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia), when I lived in Alberta as a boy.)The Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) were also omnipresent. This one at the London Wetland Centre was quite tame.Like these other members of the Corvidae, Jackdaws are very social and vocal. In Bovey Tracey, they roosted in trees across the street from my inn, so I heard them long into the late evening.
Rook (Corvus frugilegus). For a novice, it’s hard to separate these from Carrion Crows at a distance. This was the only good look at one I got. The tell-tale pale base of the bill isn’t found on juvenile birds. But note the drooping belly feathers, giving the bird quite a different profile from:Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), most like our American crow.

I caught brief glimpses of Jays (Garrulus glandarius) most days, but never got an opportunity to photograph one. They have a small patch of Blue Jay blue on their wings that is electric. I think I saw Ravens (Corvus corax) on Sourton Tor, in strong wind in which they were playing. Definitely saw some on King Tor. They rule the rock outcroppings.