Hi All,
I'm not lucky enough to have Butcherbirds, Lapwings or Magies nesting where
I live. Just to ensure I don't mis out the Red Wattle Birds (nesting in next
door's street tree, chick left nest yesterday, fortunately well fledged!)
occasionally swoop me - I'm sure basically for fun! (like the BBird below)
In a similar vein was this experience..... One day a couple of years ago,
I'd
brought my rooster 'Muckey' and his ladies around to my front yard for some
grass etc.
The wattlie did a pass BETWEEN muckey's legs (my poor startled rooster
exclaimed and lept in the air!) as if this was not enough, the rat-bag RW
Bird turned and did the same on return! It was a wonder poor Muckey didn't
have a break down or something!!
ON BIRD POISONING.
Over the last approx. 3 years a groups of Magpies and Ravens and
occasionally Mudlarks had developed a domestic lifestyle around here. While
pairs live 'normal' type lives in larger parks, golf courses etc in this
area, a group of the birds ('singles', I expect) would do the rounds of
various local suburban streets. They would appear at our houses for a time
(I live in relatively treeless inner urban residential street near major
roads, no 'natural' veg for several km) and sample handouts provided and dig
worms etc.
They were very picky eaters and tended to not like the meat I (VERY
occasionally) would offer them. My neighbour used to buy them all sorts of
novel delicacies, which they were much more interested in. They used to
annoy him a bit. When he didn't arrive soon enough with their breakfast
(mixed grill?) they would head up his front steps to his front door - and
leave some inevitable calling cards!
After a week or 2 they would move on (I assume to other handout sites) and
would then return for another visit some weeks/months later.
Yes I do know about the issues of hand feeding birds -
dependency/malnutition/obesity etc. It was lovely, though, to hear the
Magpies singing in the mornings and have the gang of street wise (they
wandered across the roads and did not get hit) characters about.
Of course some local B#*!#*!d could not allow us this enjoyment. A story
appeared in the local rag of a large group of Ravens and Magpies (and cats)
being found dead and ill(presumably poisoned) in a nearby street. Of course
the cats were rushed to vets - the birds binned - got to get your priorities
right!
So no more do we enjoy our occassional visiters and their cheerfull morning
chorus. ( I guess too, this is another hazard of hand feeding.)
wendy moore
Coburg, Vic
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