Magpies

[laserblazer]

We've got loads in our garden. Anyone else noticed an increase in population?

[elsiegee40]

Outnumbered hugely by the rapid expansion of wood pigeon numbers here. We have magpies about, but they don't come in the garden often. I think the wood pigeons are clinically obese. They don't fly anywhere if they don't have to

 

Finch numbers have increased too: goldfinch, chaffinch and greenfinch.

[laserblazer]

I was lucky enough to see our goldfinches fledge a last week. First one, followed by another three. Podgy Pigeon did look earthbound until the neighbours' cat had a go at him. I think he owed his escape to a chattering magpie giving the game away. The pigeons and magpies seem quite tolerant of each other.

[elsiegee40]

Star of the spring for me has been the young Great Spotted Woodpecker. We have had adults visiting the feeders for years, but this is the first time I have seen a youngster in our garden.

[laserblazer]

Since I made the feeders squirrel-proof, it has deterred the woodpeckers. In the past, we have had a Green woodpecker but they are mainly Great Spotted. I think they are responsible for killing a nice acacia tree my mother got us when we moved in. There was a juvenile magpie on the patio when I was getting breakfast this morning.