Fall and rise of the Raven

 I came across a dead sheep on Flash Lane yesterday which attracted several Magpie, Carrion Crows and 2 Raven.

Raven

Ravens are now a common sight around the moors and I regularly see and hear them from my house in Darley Dale but it was only in the mid 1990's that the Raven regularly bred in Derbyshire. 

However, according to The Birds Of Derbyshire the Raven was common in the County during the 18th Century but was subject to persecution and quotes a record of 1725 Ravens killed at Wirksworth between 1707 and 1724. 

Breeding continued until the the 1860s after which there are just occasional records of visiting birds until regular breeding commenced again from 1992 onwards.

Although most of my records are of 1s and 2s I counted 28 together over Harland Edge on 3rd October this year.