Welcome to my regular Friday song/tune day, ladies and gentlemen, where I pick a piece of music that reflects my mood or the times, to share with you.

There was a huge commotion in the backyard late this afternoon. Birds were screeching. Ama launched herself at high speed hoping to join the fray. My True Love beat her to it. One of the three magpie chicks had caught its wing in the dog fence, possibly trying to escape our big dog, Makea. Maybe the chick was already trapped before Makea arrived on the scene to complicate matters. The other magpies were screeching overhead and swooping to fend off the attackers. My True Love untangled its wing and popped it over the dog fence but it was injured and unable to fly.

In Canberra, we have this marvelous system where all vets provide a community service by treating injured wildlife. I was in two minds about whether to separate the maggie chick from its family and take it to the vet. It was pouring rain, the little bird was sodden and hurt, and of course, there was Clyde, our neighbour’s evil, cat to worry about. So My True Love and I reluctantly boxed it up and took it in. All going well, the chick should go to the wildlife carer tomorrow before being released back in the vicinity when it fully recovers. We hope its parents accept it back into the family again.

We are all in shock. We wonder whether we are now off the magpie family’s Christmas card list and will become swooping targets in future. Maybe the chick will become a swooper due to the trauma. Maybe I shouldn’t worry so much about evil Clyde and worry more about my own evil hounds. It is notable that Fynnie, our male dog, remained inside during all the commotion. As far as he is concerned, traipsing around in the rain is strictly for the birds.

How shattered ma and pa magpie must be right now! It breaks my heart. What song could possibly convey that? I dunno, but I am going with Lullaby of Birdland, performed by Andrea Motis, Joan Chamorro, Scott Hamilton and Ignasi Terraza (the latter playing a very special introduction).

Take care, everyone. Try not to worry.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

RDP – Under the Weather

49 thoughts on “A Tragedy Of Sorts”

  3. Oh, Tracy…that poor little bird. But I think you absolutely did the right thing. It might have met it’s end by evil Clyde….right in front of its parents eyes, no less! With their marvelous little birdy sense of humor, the magpies decided they are on the fence about sending you a Christmas card.

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    1. I’m devastated, Lois. We found a chunk of two minute noodles in the backyard, then we saw the Currawongs sitting on the fence eating noodles. Our neighbour (house of Clyde) has obviously chucked them in the open compost and a bird has dropped them in our yard , I am not surprised that the magpies have come into the yard to investigate! Honestly, this makes me so cross. The rats are problem enough!

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      1. Oh my gosh–it’s like these people are trying to find prey for Clyde. Who tosses noodles outside, let alone onto a compost pile? Now I am REALLY glad you saved that poor little bird.

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  4. A calamity that could not be foreseen. Perhaps Ma and Pa Magpie sense that you have helped their little one. Perhaps with a broken wing, even if the evil cat had not got to it, it would not have survived. You have now given it a chance.

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  5. Devastating for the magpie parents, I have no doubt (I read somewhere that some magpies mourn their dead, but I’m not sure the information was accurate), but this way the young one has a chance to survive and thrive, become the adorable swooper it was supposed to be. I think you made the right decision… but I wouldn’t expect a Christmas card from Mr and Mrs Magpie.

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    1. Oh no, we don’t want swoopers, Ana. They are the scourge of the Australian. Magpie breeding season and they can do a lot of damage to the unwary. People are scared to leave their homes.
      The vet clinic described the chick as feisty. No broken wing so hopefully it will be released soon and won’t hold a grudge. We saw 3 magpies out the front this morning so they haven’t completely shunned us.

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      1. I’m so glad the little one is well. 🙂 I keep forgetting that by comparison, our magpies aren’t quite so violent… well, not with humans anyway. They’re loud and always on the offensive, but they’re not a real threat.

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      3. I see. I was trying to raise awareness about my sleuth’s newest books with the avatar. That failed I barely sold any.

        I don’t know why WordPress doesn’t show my posts though. I guess because I have a free site it blocks me. I mean nothing I do shows up on google or the other search sites. If not for WordPress reader I’d be completely invisible.

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    1. Possibly, Martha. We’ll see. The rest of the family left pretty swiftly when they realised the little one couldn’t fly but I think they were relieved that it had a lucky escape. Good news is that it didn’t break its wing.

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  10. Goodness! The drama! and what a conundrum. I would have been all agog and would have struggled with the situation as well. Thank goodness Your True Love was quick in reacting! and what a wonderful service the vets provide. I think Baby Magpie’s family will understand; after seeing it in such great distress.

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  11. You definitely did the right thing, Tracy, as sad as it must feel for the parents (and you). Judging by the photo I’d think the youngster wasn’t too long off departing of its own volition in any case.

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  14. That’s sad, but I’m glad you took the baby magpie to the vet. Hope they can mend the wing.
    I feed the magpies that live across the road in the park, they actually started coming to my driveway whenever they saw us in the front garden – now I throw them a couple of walnuts and then they waddle back to the park. I’ve read somewhere that if you feed them they remember you and won’t attack you.

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    1. They rarely attack, but perhaps might if they suffer a trauma when they are young! I don’t feed mine. I try to make sure that there is patch of green grass that they can hunt through for grubs. What kind of magpies are yours, Sami? Are they European or Australian magpies?

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