Topic: prey

[sawfish]

Yesterday I heard magpies making a racket in the trees beside my plot so I wnt to investigate. There was something rolling about in the undergrowth and my first thought was that the magpies (which I hate) were attacking a baby pigeon (which I hate when grown up) on the ground as there was squeeling coming from the area.

So I went over and carefully looked in over the long grass and there to my delight was a female sparrowhawk rolling around with a virtually full grown magpie in its talons. Unfortunately before I could step away the sparrowhawk loosened its grip and the magpie got away.

darn it!!

Better luck next time Mrs Sparrowhawk.

[Old bird]

Good to hear that they do have some predators.

Although they are beautiful birds to look at - I cannot stand them for their baby bird/egg stealing etc and the fact that nowadays there are so many of them.  When I was a youngster you very rarely saw more than one or two at a time but nowadays they are like huge gangs!

In the countryside round here they are still trapped in Larsen traps and killed (for the predominent bloodsport of shooting) despite them being protected. I would love their protected species removed now and get some sense back into the preservation of the poor smaller native birds that are being decimated by these thugs!

Old Bird

 ;)

[Barnowl]

Old Bird, the good news is that magpies aren't protected. The bad news is that they are dead clever and can spot a gun miles away.