I wouldn’t normally describe a rook as beautiful, but this very handsome bird with  sunlight gleaming on its dark glossy feathers is just that.

There’s something about this rook’s posture, attitude and alertness that is engaging. The profile view of the head and massive beak and the bright, intense glint of the eye made me stop and take several shots while the bird stayed in the same place.

I spotted him or her from one of the hides overlooking reedbeds at the WWT Slimbridge, expecting to see some of the smaller birds I could hear twittering in the reeds. I wasn’t expecting a rook, but this one was captivating.