Rooks 3 - Humans 0

For the third morning in a row we have come downstairs to find the bird feeders torn from the pole and the contents scattered all over the decking, along with rather a lot of rook "deposits", making it impossible to re-use any of the spilt food.  We have had to concede defeat and move the feeders into the garden.  They may still tip them up and spill them, but at least we won't have to hose down the decking every time!

There are masses of rooks in the trees opposite, although we are not quite as badly affected as some neighbours as the trees are further away from us. In the past, the residents have tried all sorts of methods to deter them, including bird scarers and model raptors, but to no avail.  As their numbers (and the noise levels) increase, it may need some further thought.

I was delighted to get a call from my daughter to say they were home safely from their Florida holiday and how lovely it was to be able to walk outside and still breathe!  The temperature out there was 35 degrees Centigrade, just a tad too warm for them:-)