Hi nirofo, thanks for that.
Back in the 1950s when I was growing up these birds were around in the Angus area, but were indigenous to UK.
I won a prize at school which was a bird book and they were among the crow family then and referred to as the Common Crow.
I remember having a conversation with a twitcher in 1976 and she said then that they were getting pretty scarce in England.
Haven't thought about it much since but the Piggin Shooters thread brought it to mind, subsequent research has turned up zilch!
Anyone got a 50 year old bird book?