Problem with Magpie !

[paul.p911]

Ok, i have set up feeding stations and if i say so myself there are quite few nice birds that visit and im well happy with the sitiuation untill yesterday when an unwelcomed magpie is now hanging around with all the feed plus the smaller birds that are visiting.I feel responsible cos the little birds are in my garden because of me,now i seem to have placed them indanger from the magpie,as earlier tonigh he swooped down on to one of the bids that were feeding in my garden.Has anyone got any suggestions at all to discourage this villan as there are birds nesting in nearby tree and its a bit of a worry.

[bassist]

I live in a large flat complex surrounded by woodland.We have a resident magpie colony here, up wards of 30 birds easily.Right outside my window they have a nest which i watched them build with interest,obscured now by the leaves .Like you! i have seen them harassing other birds and attacking the young of others!its not pretty to watch,but it`s nature ,and nature can sometimes be cruel.I have tried squirting them with my anti ferret device,my trusty water pistol,but it doesnt have the reach.Other than that i just let nature take its ,sometimes cruel to watch course.!Peace.!

[Churcho]

We live in a large city and have a back garden, not big, dedicated to the feeding and watching of birds. Plenty of feeders, good quality seed, fat balls, suet blocks, home filled cocnut halves, suet pellets, ground tray, two bird tables, and so far 22 species recorded.
We have resident blackbirds, 2 breeding pairs, and last year a magpie went into the bush containing one nest and emerged seconds later with a baby blackbird in his beak. The down side of magpies. We have a pair visit every day and at the moment we are putting out mealworms for the blue and great tits along with the robins to feed their babies. However within one minute of putting the mealworms out the magpies arrive to wolf them down. Varying the time the mealworms go out makes no difference, the magpies arrive almost instantly. I can only assume they pick up on the scent of the mealworms, I cannot believe it is coincidence, it is too regular for coincidence, I know they have a reputation for being clever but to prejudge the time I am going to put out the mealworms is taking it too far. For all their bad press, they are a beautiful bird and I am pleased that we have our resident pair.

[Churcho]

I got up at 6.15 this morning and have been doing various things relating to work on the computer. I have been watching the birds and we have had our first visits from fledging Goldfinches and Great tits this morning, a wonderful sight. No sign of the Magpies at all. I have just put the mealworms out, come back into the house, looked out and there is the Magpie wolfing the mealworms! Not two minutes after the worms went out, incredible!

[Steve_G]

Churcho; They're just hanging around, watching. They see ye put the 'worms out because they're in the vicinity and keeping an eye out for ye.

Try getting some 2" square steel mesh and make a little cage, by putting it together with cable ties. Put ye mealworms inside that. Small birds will be able to hop through the holes. Maggie won't.

Know what I do, to keep magpies away from my place? I keep a couple, as pets. I caught a couple and they now live in a cage, on top of my porch. They eat their way through over a pound of fresh minced beef every week and, as soon as the firm gets them back in stock, I'm buying them an aviary that's going to cost me £100's.

I've had these two for pushing a year now. I'm really very find of them now. They're the most contented, well cared for and expensive magpies in all Eire!

But, the pay back is that they've made their spot their territory and defend it simply by shouting at would be incomers. Thus I have a hundred yard safety zone around my cottage. No magpies raid nests within that area. How's that for thinking outside the box?

All I need now is a personal pair of Hooded Crows!