Four and Twenty Blackbirds

I wouldn't say that I live in the country.  I live on the edge of a small village and overlook countryside, but that's a different thing.  There are 'country folk' in the village but there are also a lot of commuters; people who live here and travel to the nearest town or into London for work.  And although I have been here nearly a third of my life, in many ways I still think of myself as a bit of a 'townie' at heart.

I do, however, respect the country ways.  Personally, I cannot understand the mentality of anyone who would want to kill something for pleasure or 'sport' but I accept that lots of people do and also that in order to manage the countryside it is sometimes necessary.  I also accept that in some ways I am a hypocrite; I happily eat meat but could never bring myself to slaughter it; I do insist though, that what I eat has been treated ethically and humanely.  This was a new one on me though; a Rook trap, baited with dead rabbits.  Presumably whoever sets the trap kills the Rooks and uses them for food but I can't help thinking that if they need to be controlled it would be more humane simply to shoot them.

As I said, I respect the country ways even if I don't want to be a part of them.  But lets just say that there's one Rook who won't be ending up in a pie tonight.