It isn't a question, so apologies if it's the wrong forum but didn't know where else I could post this really!
Spent 2 weeks in Cornwall at the beginning of the month (Sept). Had a fab time with mixed weather, but plenty of wildlife! (Some pics in the galleries).
My most surprising shot however was of a magpie! I had been wanting to capture a magpie for some time now. Although they are abundant, they aren't particularly easy to get close to (or at least the ones I see aren't!!)! I saw this one near Holywell Bay and stopped the group I was with to get a picture. I thought he'd caught a worm in the sand dunes, so was most surprised to see when I looked at the picture to see that it was in fact a lizard!! Was pleased to have caught the moment!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Hi,
http://australian-animals.net/magpie.htm
There is some interesting reading here along with photo's of the three types of Magpie found in Australia.
Graham
Be Inspired,
Dream it, Crave it, Work for it, Live it.
Hi MarJus and Jan
Great photo both of you - it's interesting to the see the difference.
If you look close at a UK Magpie you will see that it has a bluey green sheen to the black feathers. Your one Jan seems very definitely black and white - is this the case or was it just the light the time the photo was taken?
Also does it make the same racket that ours do? I know you haven't seen one before but there is a soundclip on the RSPB site should you want to hear and compare the difference.
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Graham, thanks for that link. I can thoroughly recommend it! he's a little innacurate in relaton to the behaviour of male magpies, though. Male magpies can, and do, actively feed their young, although their skills in this department vary greatly from bird to bird. Because 'testosterone' levels are very high during this period though, the males can be very unreliablewhen it comes to infant feeding, and the female can often be observed 'scolding' him for being so slap-dash!☺ Yes, maggies do swoop during chick-raising season, and are well known to pick out particular individuals, such as boys between 5 and 14 years, and posties, with their shiny white bike helmets. Birds which are regularly fed by humans are a lot less likely to swoop, and in most cases do not swoop at all.
Kesmo, yes, our magpies are really black and white, although healthy plumage does have quite a sheen to it. The white patch on the back of the neck on adult males is pure white, while on juveniles and females it shades to grey along the lower edge. The magpie song is among the most beautiful to be heard in the Australian bush, being a complicated musical warbling carol. The content of this song can very between areas, and even between families in the same area. Not many people realise that they are also great mimics, and that everyday sounds heard in the family's territory find their way into the song. A female will sing quietly to her eggs, including these territorial sounds, to teach the yet to emerge chicks the territoral boundaries. On hot summer afternoons, it is absolutely fascinating to listen to the youngsters perched sleepily in shady areas, singing quietly to themselves for hours, perfecting their song, including barking dogs, squeaking gates, etc. Apart from their song, magpies have about 30 different calls, including calls of danger from specific types of birds. The most amusing call, to me, is the searching call, when one bird can't locate another. It's a very loud call which sounds a little like 'COMMEEEEEEEEERRR!
Smiles, Jan.
Thanks everyone for your comments!
That's a lovely bird Jan! Thank you for posting the photos! Ours Mags aren't quite so melodious! They cackle and almost 'squawk'!
I always think it sounds like a football rattle - sorry, can't think what the "proper" name is for that particular boy's toy!
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Hi Jan,
Thanks for sharing your info on the Australian Magpie. I found a website which has a soundclip of it's song (I would have tried to add a link but really don't know how - sorry) and you are right, it sounded wonderful so much different from the UK one. Squirrel's description is spot on!
Graham I'm having problems with your link - it keeps saying "done" but nothing happens, I know it's not the link it's this darned compooter!
Thanks again.
This is my first time on here so hope this works OK. I have also been surprised by the actions of a magpie in my garden. It had been sitting on our fence behind the raised garden pond, there is a small walking space between the pond and the fence. All of a sudden the magpie seemed to fall down behind the pond. My husband and I crept out to see what had happened to it and were completely surprised to find that it had actually caught a mouse. It must have been watching the mouse from the fence and dropped straight down on it. The magpie then flew up onto the garage roof at the end of the garden and started to eat the mouse.
green fingers and muddy boots everyday!
Hi Celia and welcome to the forum. Hope you will enjoy it here. What an amazing story and how fantastic to have witnessed it. Makes me wonder what my solitary magpie gets up to that I haven't noticed...
Squirrel
Hello Celia
Welcome from me too ! I knew Magpies took baby birds and eggs from nests but didn't realise they actually caught running food! This is one of the reasons I love this site, you get to learn so much from other people's experiences.
Hi Marjus and Jan.
Great pictures. Its interesting to see the differnces between British and Australian Magpies. Both are beautiful birds.
Paul
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.