Monday 29 August 2011

A Tuesday / Wednesday Post - The Magpies of Spring.




A sure sign that spring is on the way is that some of our Magpies start to act up a bit. Male magpies can get very possessive of their patch and if they take a dislike to you they will swoop down at you – and in some cases hit you on the head with their beaks. I’m told this can be quite disconcerting!


H was out on his bike this weekend and was swooped in a half hearted kind of way by one of the local magpies. H being a brave and courageous soul just kept on riding his bike!
The magpies can become a real pest if they happen to take a dislike to the mail man!


Many of our posties extend their helmets with cable ties to keep the birds at bay!




So to celebrate the changing of the seasons, a rather splendid bird and the first post on Our World Tuesday I thought I put up a combined post.


You can find more splendid Tuesday things here.


You can find more Wednesday birds here.


If you want to read more about the Magpies you can look here.


Have a great Tuesday and Wednesday!

28 comments:

  1. I didn't know magpies could be so aggressive. Good thing to wear a helmet!

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  2. such beautiful birds! their aggression sounds much like our mockingbirds - very territorial and known to swoop and attack. but your magpies are larger and probably more dangerous!

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  3. is there a new our world meme? had to check that out.

    That magapie don´t look like ours. Very different actaully. Interesting. :)

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  4. Spring is here with a vengeance and it is much warmer in Melbourne than here on the farm although you are much further south. Magpies can be quite a pest in the nesting season. I remember the days when children used to still walk to school and the only way a certain tree could be safely passed was with an umbrella.

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  5. Great post for the day, Stewart! Always love learning about the birds in your country! I didn't realize the magpies were that aggressive either! Glad to see you joining us at Our World so we may all enjoy your world as well! Have a wonderful week!

    Sylvia

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  6. Wonderful bird photos Stewart. I never get to see too many different varieties of birds where I live in the city.

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  7. Lovely shots - but I wouldn't want to get pecked by them!

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  8. Are they the same Magpies that we have in the UK, or a different species? I can see why you would want/need to wear a helmut or hard hat. We have Jackdaws nesting in one of our defunct chimney pots, raising their young and they are noisy, but haven't attacked anyone yet. You have caught some nice close-ups, without being pecked I hope!

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  9. Beautiful bird photos! Thank you for sharing.

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  10. that was an amazing post Stewart!

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  11. That's strange, our magpies look very different, they look as if they would wear a tuxedo.
    Thank you for your kind comment on "Our World".

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  12. That magapie looks a bit different from them we have here..however, they can be quite angry.
    I especially like photo nr 2.
    Happy week to you!

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  13. Small world isn't it, obviously you know Malton, and our village is just 5 miles south of Pickering. We are Santa and Holly on the NYMR Santa Specials at Christmas. Did you teach at Lady Lumley's school? I'll be putting some photo's of Pickering up sometime in the near future.

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  14. Great and informative post, Stewart. Some very beautiful shots along with it. Great work.

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  15. Nice captures. The last one looks like he want to talk to me ;)

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  16. In my part of the world it is fall that brings the birds, especially raptors. I am seeing the first influx and hope to start blogging birds again before long. Magpies, however, will not be among them as they do not frequent my area.

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  17. Fun post Stewart!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  18. Great photos Stewart. Aggressive magpies are a real pest!

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  19. Beautiful post, your magpie looks a
    lot different to our and ours is not
    that aggressive :)

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  20. Stewart, my egret was at the Tirhatuan Wetlands Conservation Reserve, accessible from Stud Rd, into Seebeck Rd. and to the end of Miranda Ave.
    I hope that is not too far from you.

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  21. Love to hear about your spring sign, nice pics!

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  22. WOW, I had no idea that they can behave in such a nasty way! Lovely pictures, by the way:)

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  23. A lovely read... your magpies are beautiful to see... but maybe not to bump into!

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  24. Interesting, I did not know. I'll be thinking about this all day. Great post.

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  25. Great post on the Magpies. Is there a nest nearby? I feel sorry for your mailman. I enjoyed the post and photos.

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  26. Love the magpies Stewart but your postman's helmet really sent me into convulsions. Space Antennas to ward off aggressive birds? Very inventive. Thanks for showing that one!

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  27. Your magpies are more stubby-tailed that ours here in the USA. They have a beautiful pattern to their feathers though. Nice shots and a funny story! Not so funny if you are the one being dive-bombed though!

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  28. I'd love one of those in my garden but the closest I get is one in stained glass hanging in my sunroom. A great gift from Oz!

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