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Post by whippet on Mar 24, 2022 16:04:44 GMT
The things I have to do!!!! It took me forever to get this shot. Not easy when there all those branches, the sun is blanking out the camera screen, and two dogs on leads, won't stand still.  Hope you appreciate my effort, BuckSkin.   Couldn't resist this one.  Next minute, I almost had a heart attack when this dog jumped into the water, right next to me.  |
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Post by BuckSkin on Mar 24, 2022 18:08:02 GMT
I almost had a heart attack when this dog jumped into the water, right next to me. |
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Post by pontiac1940 on Mar 24, 2022 18:58:32 GMT
Margaret
Thanks. Learn something every day. I did not know there are magpies in the UK. Your magpie is a different species than ours but looks very similar.
Neat tufted duck.
Clive
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Post by whippet on Mar 24, 2022 20:59:53 GMT
I should have known you would come up with a wisecrack, BuckSkin. Clive, I am sure that when you were both talking about Magpies a short while ago, that I said then, we have lots over here. Difficult to snap them though. I have to be too close - and having dogs with me doesn't help. |
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Post by BuckSkin on Mar 24, 2022 22:03:31 GMT
If magpies are anything like the crows around here, then any shot is going to be a long-range shot.
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Post by jackscrap on Mar 25, 2022 2:14:45 GMT
Australia’s magpies are very different to these ones, I always wanted to try and raise one from a chick and keep it for a pet, but it never happened. Neighbours we once had found a baby magpie that had been blown out of the nest, it became very tame and was always allowed to fly free when it chose. After a while she returned with babies of her own that she would show off to her human family.
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Post by whippet on Mar 30, 2022 10:44:21 GMT
Magpies look beautiful. But they raid other birds nests - for the eggs.
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Post by BuckSkin on Mar 30, 2022 12:14:46 GMT
Magpies look beautiful. But they raid other birds nests - for the eggs.
That is true for just about every species of bird, no matter how cute and innocent they may look.
I don't think it is so much that they like to eat eggs and baby birds; but that, it is an instinctive matter of survival; they kill off the competition.
Humans are no different; they will retaliate, often violently, against any alien race that may be a threat to their jobs and livelihood. |
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Post by whippet on Mar 31, 2022 19:07:00 GMT
I appreciate that, BuckSkin. It is just me, being me. Many years ago, I once had to go into a chicken hatchery. I didn't find out for some time, but when the chicks hatched, they were sent to be fed to owls. |
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Post by michelb on Mar 31, 2022 19:28:42 GMT
Margaret Thanks. Learn something every day. I did not know there are magpies in the UK. Your magpie is a different species than ours but looks very similar. Neat tufted duck. Clive Very common here in Europe: la pie bavarde.
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Post by whippet on Apr 1, 2022 13:40:21 GMT
Although there are a lot of them, I have only seen the black and white ones over here, Michel.
Can't understand why, as we are just a few miles from France.
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Post by michelb on Apr 1, 2022 15:46:00 GMT
Although there are a lot of them, I have only seen the black and white ones over here, Michel. Can't understand why, as we are just a few miles from France. To be fair, the steel blue parts are not always easy to see depending on the light.
About the legend of magpies being thieves for brght objects as inspired by the Rossini opera (La pie voleuse / La gazza ladra), scientist say that it's totally false. But... my wife can testify that a young magpie brought up by her parents after falling from the nest has lived free around the family, and showed the same attraction for bright objects like rings and bright things which it stored together. And it's also true that cats are not welcome at all to climb on trees !
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Post by BuckSkin on Apr 1, 2022 17:27:03 GMT
And it's also true that cats are not welcome at all to climb on trees !
I guess I need to get me some Magpies to keep the cats on the ground and some Blue Heelers to do their thing; and, maybe, I can get these homeless vagabond cats under control around here.
The next time the neighbor is going to rent to a cat lady, I am going to pay them to let the place stay empty. |
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Post by whippet on Apr 2, 2022 19:29:26 GMT
Thanks for the interesting information, Michel. BuckSkin. As you may know, I have had greyhounds and whippets for years. That hasn't ever stopped cats coming into our garden. Perhaps I should find myself some friendly magpies.  |
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