Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Birds - Rook Page 4

Image Taken on 26 Aug 2023 at 09:50 Image of day on 22 Oct 2023

More detail of the above with the obvious choice of Red Kite, along with the accompanying Rook shown a little closer than reality for clarity.

Ref: 20231022_df3_20230826_0950_140 red kite in flight harassed by rook @7fps 3 of 7 (adjusted crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Sep 2017 at 09:34 Image of day on 26 Oct 2017

By now the Rooks had noticed the Red Kite in 'their' patch and set off in hot pursuit.

Ref: 20171026_df3_20170916_0934_169+171+173+175+176 red kite in flight pursued by rook 1+3+5+7+8 of 8 (mostly accurate montage @ 7 fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 06 Mar 2024 at 11:03 Image of day on 02 Apr 2024

But the relationship between these two is absolutely genuine. The Red Kite (left) looks back at what they will consider to be the 'annoying pest'

Ref: 20240402_df3_20240306_1103_070 red kite looks back at pursuing rook (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Oct 2019 at 14:36 Image of day on 13 Dec 2019

A Red Kite being pursued by 50 Rooks when venturing too near the Rookery. Not a chance moment - every time the Kite changed direction so did the Rooks!
Ever felt unwelcome?

Ref: 20191213_d73_20191025_1436_128 red kite mobbed by some of about 50 rooks (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 08 Mar 2025 at 09:33 Image of day on 08 Apr 2025

This Red Kite strayed too close for comfort to the Rook nests to our west.

Ref: 20250408_df3_20250308_0933_155 red kite near nests to nw being mobbed by single rook(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 21 May 2023 at 08:32 Image of day on 12 Jul 2023

After a few minutes circling in a weak thermal the Red Kite started to depart. But the Rooks started to take exception to Kites presence. Most of these in-air pursuits are more 'threat' than substance, but on this occasion (the first time close enough to us to see, let alone photograph) the Rook managed to grab one of the tail feathers of the Red Kite who really obviously took exception and twisted round to see off the annoyance with his fearsome claws.
We don't have anything static to accurately align the images, so the pairs of bird images are arranged mainly for clarity and to fit them into a single image by horizontal overlapping. We have all 14 original frames should anybody be interested.

Ref: 20230712_df3_20230521_0832_242-252 red kite pursued by rook who grab a kite feather 02+04+06+10+12 of 14 (impression montage @7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 21 May 2023 at 08:32 Image of day on 12 Jul 2023

This image (5 of 14) would fit between the second and third pair of birds in the montage.

Ref: 20230712_df3_20230521_0832_245 red kite pursued by rook who grab a kite feather 05 of 14 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 21 Mar 2014 at 07:45 Image of day on 04 May 2014

A pair of rooks had been pursuing this Red Kite out of their nesting territory, and now just one had almost stopped it's pursuit well out of frame. This is an accurate montage of about 1 second of flight.

Ref: 20140504_df2_20140321_0745_102-107 red kite pursued to rook (off frame) 06-11 of 13 (accurate montage @ 7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 27 Jul 2020 at 17:54 Image of day on 03 Sep 2020

Several Rooks were trying to make life uncomfortable for this Red Kite. But one glance upwards by the Kite seems enough to deter this pass.

Ref: 20200903_d73_20200727_1754_038-042 red kite threatens harassing rook 1-5 of 5 (horizontally shifted montage @10fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Jan 2019 at 15:22 Image of day on 28 Feb 2019

A Rook displaying the wonderful glossy plumage.
A Penny plain,

Ref: 20190228_e64_20190130_1522_154_fb2 rook(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Jan 2019 at 15:31 Image of day on 10 Feb 2019

Our patch seems to be developing it's own Rookery - here is one of the incumbents.

Ref: 20190210_e63_20190102_1531_034_fb1 rook(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Jan 2015 at 14:08 Image of day on 16 Feb 2015

"Rook are black except for their beaks"
In that case black can come in a lovely variety of blacks!

Ref: 20150216_e62_20150103_1408_114_fb5 rook(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Dec 2007 at 16:40 Image of day on 01 Jan 2008

Don't see many rooks at the photo sites, so have to include one that takes it's photo.

Ref: 20080101_d3b_20071201_1640_090 fb1 rook(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 07 Dec 2018 at 14:34 Image of day on 23 Jan 2019

A minute later the Squirrel has gone, so Rook and Pheasant can get on with the important business of feeding quietly together. Pheasants sometimes leap into the air to bring their spurs into play, and it is possible that the Squirrel received a spike in its anatomy!

Ref: 20190123_e63_20181207_1434_104_fb1 rook & pheasant male feeding together quietly(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 26 Nov 2009 at 15:41 Image of day on 27 Dec 2009

A cheeky looking rook with all that interesting white face detail.

Ref: 20091227_d3a_20091126_1541_027_fb2 rook (head crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Jan 2023 at 15:24 Image of day on 02 Mar 2023

In just 6 minutes we get three Corvid landings - a Rook. then a Jackdaw and then a different Rook. Between each first-second, third-fourth, and fifth-sixths images 400mS has elapsed.

Ref: 20230302_d01_20230130_1524_009+010+1528_013+014+1529_015+016_fb6 rook + jackdaw + rook landing over 6 mins (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 18 Jan 2024 at 10:44 Image of day on 11 Feb 2024

A Rook and a Jackdaw (with a Wood Pigeon bringing up the rear) share the recently delivery of grain and scraps.

Ref: 20240211_e6a_20240118_1044_009_fb5 rook + jackdaw + wood pigeon at frosted meadow site(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 13 Dec 2019 at 14:24 Image of day on 20 Jan 2020

A Rook spends at least 10 minutes on the meadow post.

Ref: 20200120_d01_20191213_1424_026-1431_040_fb6 rook 10+ minute visit to meadow post 4+1-3 of 4 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 20 Dec 2025 at 11:34 Image of day on 01 Feb 2026

This Rook made a 3 minute stay of the Meadow Post in some fitful sunshine. The two frames on the left are half-a-second apart.

Ref: 20260201_d01_20251220_1134_039+40+1135_042+1136_043_fb6 rook 3 minutes visit to meadow post 1-4 of 4 (montage 1+2 500ms)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 13 Mar 2025 at 13:15 Image of day on 16 Apr 2025

Permission to land.

Ref: 20250416_d01_20250313_1315_063_fb6 rook about to land on meadow post(r+mb id@768).jpg

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