WHAT'S BUZZING OR FLYING NEAR YOU 2018

Out in open areas they get shot as there vermin, in built up areas they don't really have any predators sparrowhawks will take them but even they have a fight on their hands they go round taking anything they can, offering them high protein will not stop them better not feeding them at all but that's just my opinion, i don't feed them here.

 

Thanks for that info @wiseowl. Upto around the '60s/70's Magpies were predominently country birds but as birds being opportunists, gradually moved into towns and cities where they previously were rarely seen. They were held responsible for preying on young birds (along with Crows) but eventually proved not as much as suspected. Cats have probably taken a bigger toll.
I leave Magpies alone in the garden, it's the Woodies I chase off!!!

 

The young may have hatched during the cold snowy weather and possibly lost some as they usually lay around five eggs.

This was what I was hoping to see again in the cold weather, Redpolls, as I haven't had them here since the last snow in 2011/12.
Just once we had 11 but there were mainly 5 but only for two weeks.

 

Magpie will have had them ,

Yes they take 13/15 days to fledge so that's about right for the bad weather,

As i see it with magpies if they eat other birds as they do they have to have some resonsabilty for the decline of other birds. i love all animals/birds but magpies are not one of my favorites along with starlings, i would sooner have a robin or a thrush any day of the week ,

A few garden shots Mrs blackbird has been nest building all day unsure where the nest is atm but it wont be in my garden nowhere really suitable yet

 

That was quite a gruesome video @martin-f . Maggie has to eat too, got chicks to feed too. Just like the Sparrowhawk. Nature can be a quite vicious and brutal battle for survival. Which is why I want my garden to not be. The Magpies have been in my garden since we arrived 6 years ago and I've never witnessed an attack like that. I guess if I had I wouldn't be so keen on them. But, as I said there's plenty of food to go around. I don't know what else to say as I don't want to step outside the boundary of the new rules.

I'm not overly keen on the Starlings from the point of view of the mess they make and the all the squabbles they get into. They seem to be quite clumsy birds, we've had to rescue lots from getting stuck in the fatball feeders and falling down the caravan flue. The chicks are the most clumsy as they fly into the conservatory windows and knock themselves out. But, they do have a nice side to them and they can be quite comical. Their numbers are still in decline, so that's reason enough to encourage them here I guess.

 

We've had a hawk hanging about for a few weeks. I miss the cardinals and chicadees that used to visit the feeder. But I am happy that they are smart enough not to visit the seed smorgasbord only to become part of the menu.

We have had turkey vultures return. Magnificent wing span and graceful. I like them qnd the possums that snuck up over the border because they clean up the dead

 

I only said there not my favorite bird Luci i don't see what all the fuss is about i wouldn't harm them ,

Starlings are just bullies and i don't like bullies

 

True A , but i still don't see what all the fuss is about i thought going off topic was a rule broken maybe start a new thread about Magpies, Sheffield United not my favorite football team aswell

 

@martin-f I was just commenting on the video you posted up. I wasn't aware I was ' making a fuss '. Perhaps I should have chosen different words but I wasn't directing any criticism at you or mean to upset you in any way . I certainly didn't think that you were planning on harming the Magpies. I know you like animals, you've mentioned it before. I like them too - actually like them better than I like a lot of people You are perfectly entitled to have likes and dislikes and are perfectly entitled to agree and disagree with what others say. As ARMANDII says it would quite boring if we all thought the same.

I do agree with you that the Starlings can be bullies. I suppose I've just got used to them now. My hubby made a feeder they cannot get into so the little birds use that.

Why does the Maggie come in you garden if you don't feed it? Maybe to drink from your pond?

I have nesting Blackbirds (they are permanent residents here ). They seem to choose different sites each year. I read somewhere that someone who has a thick hedge and an old bird table that was pushed into the hedge so the hedge grew over it made a good nest for the Blackbirds . I'm not sure where mine are nesting this year, they take different routes back to the nest.

 

Morning Luci, your not really making a fuss but opinions are personal and i don't see the need to disturb peoples personal opinions, most people who dislike Magpies dislike them for the same reasons as me, you had a good idea why i dislike them before you asked so just baiting a discussion/making a fuss as i would call it , i understand that birds have to eat and don't try and change mother nature as some peeps do, you have your reasons for disliking sparrowhawks and i wouldn't force you into a debate by asking your reasons because people are entitled to there own thoughts and its not my place to question them,

I don't like getting into debates so please discuss it it with out me no one will change my opinion and that's a fact