A QUOTATION from a poem by Charlotte Mew, entitled: The trees are down: But I, all day, I heard an angel crying: Hurt not the trees. The beautiful horse chestnut in front of Queen Elizabeth's in Western Road, Crediton, has not been chopped down, but it was so drastically cut back in the Autumn of 2014 that the rooks have been unable to make any nests in it. On March 22, 2014 I counted 16 nests. When we moved to Landscore in 2003 there were only six or seven. But, after the Cedar of Lebanon, where they used to nest, was felled, the displaced rooks migrated to the horse chestnut. On March 29, 2013 I counted at least 15 nests in the huge holm oak, which is also on the site. This year there are between 24 and 30 (difficult to count because of the thicker foliage) and three or four in smaller trees nearby. So, it looks as if the increase is due to the loss of nesting possibilities in the horse chestnut. It's the only bit of wild nature in our bit of Crediton, so let's hope they don't decide to cut back the holm oak this autumn because that would be the end of the long-established rookery and of our delight in watching the birds nest building. Anne Sweetman, Landscore Crediton