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Hi.
If you remember, or care :-) I posted that our magpies disappeared.
Well, they're back, just as demanding and funny as ever.
Missed 'em

Tony

In summer we leave out water in a bird-bath
for the many birds that frequent & occasionally
we feed the magpies also.
The magpies must recognise us as they never attack us.
They do attack the neighbours and people walking nearby.

They have almost no fear of me & I can quietly walk
up to many of them, close enough to grab them -
if I wanted to lose their trust.

Some young friends had a talking magpie when I was a kid.
It could say "hello" & whistle - nothing else.


We also have regular visits by a blue wren & his harem,
various types of large native parrots, some galahs,
some willy-wagtails, pee-wees & some really tiny
yellow-green birds that move really, really fast.

If we forget to fill or clean the bird-bath the sparrows
let us know by flying to the bird-bath, looking directly
at us & making a lot of noise, which they don't do
normally. If they are really thirsty they chirp loudly
on the kitchen window sill - clever little buggers!

The weirdest thing I ever saw (re birds/animals) was
the neighbours cat laying on the lawn at midday
closely surrounded by 8 or 9 sparrows and a tiny
orphan wild rabbit that the cat had tried to eat
the day before. The rabbit and birds seemed
completely unconcerned that the cat was
laying less than a foot or so away from
most of them. It was so bizarre.

Any other day they'd stay well clear of the nasty cat yet
that day it was like they'd all been raised together.

A few days later the baby rabbit vanished... Sneaky Cat...

--
They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
deserve neither liberty or security.
- Benjamin Franklin
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