It's Baby Magpie Season

Yes it's Spring again. I know because the local magpies have 2 babies. I know this because I occasionally throw out scraps on my back lawn to supplement their food rations and they are regular visitors. This week they brought me a present.....2 babies. Must be a good season this year to be raising 2 babies instead of 1. Anyway the magpies here in Melbourne are white backed magpies as apposed to the magpies at Tocumwal in N.S.W. which are black backed magpies. Also the birds here in Melb. are larger than their northern cousins, probably all the McDonalds they eat down here!
I enjoy listening to their warbling song and can't help but shake my head at the patience and persistence of the adult birds constantly being "harassed" by the chicks for food. They are noisy little critters when they are hungry and very bossy, often pecking at the adult birds for more food. I've named them....squarker 1 and squarker 2, they never seem to stop. Poor parent birds, these chicks are worse than teenage children! Very cute though, and fluffy. Can fly a bit, but haven't got their full feathers yet. Still I enjoy them "popping in" for a feed. The female is very cheeky and this morning thought I was a bit slow with the offerings for breakfast, so she sat on my widow sill and sang me a song....very loudly, as if to say "Were here......where's the tucker!" Hope you enjoy the photos of my little brood. Nice to have some "wild life" in my garden.
For those who are interested the female magpie has a "dirty grey" back whilst the male has a snowy white back.


Female singing for breakfast

I'm getting the "evil" eye. Where's my food!


Mrs. Magpies with her dirty grey back towards us. Mr Magpie-white back.

Squarker 1 & 2.

Dad and squarkers.


Squarker 1 & 2 still with baby fluff. Possibly both female.


"What you look'in at!"


Feather preening time.


I'm being watched!

Watching mum to see if she has food.


The "bottomless pits" waiting for more food to arrive.

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