# Magpies



## nipperdin (Oct 28, 2007)

No- not the Newcastle team but the flying kind.
Over the past few weeks we have seen a pair of Blackbirds busy building a nest in the hedge alongside our garden.
I was alerted by the sound of the pair of them, sitting on our conservatory roof, giving off a high pitched distress squawk.
I went into the garden and spotted the tail of a Magpie in the hedge where it was astride the nest.
I managed to get it to fly off but the nest was now empty of eggs.
The Blackbirds have now started building another nest, in the same hedge, but the wretched Magpie is still coming into the garden and I fear that the same will happen again.
It seems that they are one of the most successful of breeding birds but at the cost of many others.


----------



## gofer (Feb 8, 2010)

*magpie*

we also have problems with magpies last year they whent into the shed and took the young swallows out of the nest.I was realy upset to think this little bird had flown all the way from Africa to have a family and these magpies ate their family.OR is this just nature?


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Magpies are vermin.


----------



## teifiprt (Oct 2, 2007)

This is common behavior for magpies, not nice but nature i,m afraid. blackbirds usually nest in a dense hedge which will give protection, just let them get on with it, lovely time of year isn't it

PETER.


----------



## gofer (Feb 8, 2010)

*magpies*

we live in the north of england and our swallows usualy land here oaround the 17th of april havent landed yet has anyone else seen them yet


----------



## wendyandjohn (Feb 14, 2009)

Hi there, we live near Swansea in South Wales and 'my' swallows arrived back to my stables last week. I always get a lump in my throat when I see them for the first time each year. They have been coming to our stables for as long as I can remember. lovely isnt it??


----------



## gofer (Feb 8, 2010)

*spring*

it sure is a wonderful time of year,this last week the weather has been perfect.just come in from a little walk across the fields and stood and watched a pair of geese doing a spot of courting in the twilite.forget politics just stand outside and think how lucky we are to live in such a wonderful country


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

I didnt know magpies were that bad.
We have 2 and the other day they were bathing in my Fountain.
They walk up the road together like little old people and I have always thought they were so sweet.

We have loads of Blackbirds nesting which they do every year.
foxes are playing on the salt marsh and the Heron flies around every morning.
It is a lovely time of year.


----------



## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

Thats nature! Magpies are also very clever, I have seen them defend their nest from a cat by out-witting it.


----------

