Usually, crows are not very highly regarded birds.

This is probably due to their relative abundance and their habit of savaging scraps and refuse, often in a very aggressive way as they squabble and fight amongst themselves.

You may find it quite surprising then to discover that these birds are responsible for creating a rather wonderful wildlife experience out on one of the district's largest and most valuable nature reserves, the Devil's Spittleful.

For the last few months, the cattle of the Wyre Forest Grazing Animals project have been at large out on the heathlands of the Devils Spittleful and as a result, I have found myself spending quite some time out on this reserve.

When the sun is up, it's not uncommon to see the odd crow over the reserve, but this hardly seems to be anything out of the ordinary. It is only once the sun has slipped beneath the horizon that things start livening up.

As the sky flares from the final orange light of the setting sun, the first raucous calls of the crows can be heard as a flock of 20 or more of them fly in over the wooded horizon.

Just as they begin to settle, another flock wings its way over and then the whole scene erupts into a riot of noise as the birds twist and turn in mock battle all over the sky.

As the light begins to fade still more and more crows arrive, but as the light eventually dwindles their calls grow less and they then settle down in among the scrub trees and patches of woodland on the reserve.

If you visited the reserve then, you would be completely unaware of the hundreds and hundreds of birds that would be roosting above your head.

If you felt the evening display put on by the crows was amazing, just visit the reserve before the sun rises as it is yet another experience altogether.

Walking through the reserve just before dawn all appears peaceful, but as the first glimmer of light starts to spread across the eastern horizon you get a really creepy feeling that you are not alone.

Hundreds of crows will be watching you, but although you can hear them shuffling and ruffling their feathers, their dark plumage makes it very hard to spot them. Some of the birds may even have taken to the ground and be foraging amongst the heather.

If you disturb some of them, you will be in for quite a fright as a group of 20 or 30 birds suddenly take flight, cawing out an alarm call, thus shattering the usual peace of the dawn.

As the light continues to improve, the crows leave the reserve in dribs and drabs to forage for their living over the streets and farms of the Wyre Forest District and as a day visitor to the reserve you would never know they were ever here.