2002:  ONE BABY

2003 - TWO BABIES

2004 - ONE BABY

2005 - ONE BABY

 

How exciting!  The Magpies have had their babies, which means I'm a Grandmother!  Or an Aunty?  

We have been feeding these Magpies for about 8 years now.   There are two Magpies that come every year, one I call Mrs Maggoty Pie, and the other is simply called Mr Magpie.  Yeah, I know it's not original, but hey! (shrug).  

Mrs Maggoty Pie has been banded by a local scientist, and carries a couple of red bands.  In fact  'Mr Magpie' could even be an older daughter of the first, I'm not sure, but I do know this....they have a wonderful appetite!  The babies are usually a light grey colour, but this year we have a brown Magpie, who is very confident and aggressive, fighting his/her sibling for food.

Most mornings and afternoons, we feed them whatever we have in the fridge, sometimes meat scraps, bacon, ham, mince, off-cuts etc, and they love grapes!   Each year the new babies come around too, noisy, squawking, crying, helpless babies, who soon become used to the idea that this mad woman will happily dish out food for as long as they stay!  The funny thing is though, when we visit our neighbours, the Maggoty Pies are there too, bludging food off other houses!  I think they do the circuit.  Who says birds are dumb? And then there are the Butcher Birds.....and the Bush Turkey......