A magpie story: two years ago in June, a wind storm blew a fledgling magpie out of the nest at the top of the neighbour’s towering blue spruce. Most of its siblings were able to flutter to a new roost, but this runt was left behind in our yard with an injured leg and not yet able to fly. It was a perilous week that included hazing from unrelated adult magpies, hiding from the other neighbour’s cat, the local coyotes, and crows.
In the first few days I chased off a few attackers and shooed the little bird off the road and into the garden, but mostly left nature to take its course.
Last year I was heartened to notice that one of our resident magpies hopped with a distinct limp.
2/
This year, a pair of magpies has decided to built a nest in one of our cedar trees, *right* outside our window. I’m not ok with this - as anyone who has ever listened to a family of young magpies squabble with loud cracking penetrating adolescent voices will understand - but I bear them no ill will.
3/
I have been diligently breaking up the assemblage of sticks as they make it to encourage them to choose another tree - magpies will usually start multiple nests before settling on and finishing the most promising site - and as I do so I am noticing one of the birds hops with a distinct list over a slightly deformed foot.
4/
It’s heart-warming to know our tenacious little visitor has survived and is building a good life and a family of their own and I find myself wondering if the unusual choice of our cedar for a nest - only ~10 feet off the ground rather than the more typical 20-30 feet - reflects a remembered aversion nesting up high?
All the best you and your mate Hoppy.
5/f
DavidM_yeg
Petra van Cronenburg