I have blogged here about the relative lack of magpies in my garden – although as I am about to blog this seems to be being rectified! This post by James Common takes a real in depth look at the oft made claim that magpies are “bad for songbirds” and therefore deserve some persecution.
“One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told,
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird
You must not miss”
The above nursery rhyme is one familiar to many: one drilled into us as children and recited with enthusiasm, even in adulthood. A familiar verse associated with the Magpie (Pica pica) – a bird which occupies a special place in the hearts of many nature lovers, myself included. A charismatic corvid of unrivaled intelligence, iridescent beauty and brazen charm and, thankfully, a firm fixture of daily life across most of Britain. Magpies – once scarce as a result of widespread persecution – now a welcome sight in our woodlands, hedgerows, fields and gardens. Well, welcomed by many, but not all…
Like most corvids, the Magpie is a…
View original post 1,314 more words
Séamus Sweeney 