Backyard Zoology · 21 February 2019
2019-02-21T18:17:36+11:00
https://www.facebook.com/backyardzoology/posts/pfbid0FHMPmhouqWWH5syRs9su2Jh4uYHBr3gM8GVm1miMvKgzfy5tLVtmPznz2htBxWsgl

So I'm a little guilty of not paying attention to the more common critters - ones that I grew up with. I mean, I have featured Australian Magpies on Backyard Zoology exactly zero times in the 3 years that I've been running this page. Oops. And that's even after spotting a newly fledged maggie AND a parent in a nest intricately created with sticks and twigs and...wire(!) back in October. What can I say? I was getting a little distracted by koalas and dolphins at the time 🐨🐬 

We've only recently started getting maggies in our street. I hear them warbling away in the trees occasionally, flying in and out of the gums but because we are surrounded by bush, we don't have them coming into the yards like houses that are in more open areas. So I guess, they haven't really been on my radar that much. 

Anyway, I found this young one when I was out on a walk, and after initially not spending a lot of time with it, felt my ice cold heart melting as I watched it singing away to itself while it dug for insects. How freaking cute! I have to admit I kept turning away trying to get photos of the Black-Shouldered Kite taking flight (which I missed) because I'm a bit of a raptor wh*re, and then I went and ended up missing this one hanging upside down by one leg screeching away at a nearby crying baby showing it how it was done. So, ok Magpies, you have my attention now! Let's see if I don't just completely and utterly fall in love with you.

Australian Magpies
Sandon Point (and Port Stephens)