The rather mundane world of Rikaitch
Round our way we have starlings who behave like hooligans. They rush in, shouting a lot, grab loads and rush off again, all together. If it's not them, it's the hugely fat lumbering pigeons who are in danger of pulling the bird table over.
But we're not daft. We sleep at the front of the house with the birdtable at the back 
Oh dear. I have been googling magpie myths. Too many cultures regard the solitary magpie as an ill omen for my liking.
As an American, I can tell you that a typical American tourist would never use the word shall. Too British...
When I first moved to the country, one of the first things I noticed was just how loud birds could be when I am still laying in bed...
I have two hugely fat pigeons that start arsing on next door's fence around 4.30am. A few days ago I watched one of them devour a whole slice of bread in 5 minutes. One pigeon, one slice. It just about managed to get off the ground and over the fence
Just a little hint to you all, (and I've already told Rik this but he hasn't listened, lol) You shouldn't be putting food out for the birds at the moment because there are lots of baby birds around and the parents birds will be lazy and teach them the easiest way to get food, which will be your bird table. The baby birds will not learn how to hunt for food the way nature intended and in the long run this is bad for the birds as they will then not be able to teach their babies how to hunt properly..... therefore bad for the birds. Natures food table is in abundence at this time of year and therefore we should save the bird food from the shops for when food is scarce. That's all, I'll stop my Bill Odey impression now.
Bertie: Hadn't thought of that, sounds sensible...
Rik: Are you sure that they weren't African sparrows? Did you see any of them trying to carry a coconut? (Yeah, I know it's "swallows", but still...)
Bertie's comments are worthwhile. We feed these guys each day - about 1/2 a pound (and many more pounds sterling). They look so cute. And the crap they produce to show their gratitude, which I have to clear and dump in the canal.... Mind you I have a Jackdaw (his name is Blackie), he is close to eating from my hand!
The magpies start it off, warbling beautifully at around 5 ish, then scared off by the harsh tones of the ravens, which lacks melody.
Then the kookaburras start laughing at me. And the day starts as it means to continue...
I grew up living underneath a Rookery and have, from a very young age, helped raise many a baby bird that has fallen from it's nest, Rooks, Jackdaws, Seagulls and even a teeny tiny Greenfinch that didn't have any feathers on it yet! (another hint: if you see a baby bird that looks like it's fallen from it's nest leave it be and keep an eye on it, it's Mother is probably not far away and is just testing it to see what it does on it's own). I have a built in love of birds and think they are fascinating, I'll sit and watch them for ages, and there is nothig as satisfying as seeing an injured bird you thought was going to die be fit enough to fly back to its nest.
Oh, and don't you all just love Bill Odey. I'd like to adopt him as my Grandad!
Rik would swear that I like watching birds too.
Different kind though I think 
A nearby wood full of pheasant & ducks, raisins soaked in brandy, a sack and a large stick......
What? Me?
I love wildlife at this time of year!
Bryn, I'll bring the bread....
Round here its more of a squirrel table. One time we put out a whole 7 pound sack of peanuts to see what happened. There were teams of squirrels burying them in the lawn until way past dark.
TRT - what is the point of being superstitious?
Well, stop putting food out and you'll get your sleep.
But aren't the little Germans, I mean sparrows, cute? How could you refuse them?
We have many sparrows, finches, crows, seagulls. Probably more, but I'm not knowedgeable enough to say. Luckily the Canada Geese tend to stay down by the lake. Those buggers are loud. And messy. Very, very, messy.
All birds have only 2 songs
1 - Get off my land
or
2 - Fancy a shag darling
bit like someone I know really
The point of superstition is, it gives you something to believe in.
Also a famous scientist once proved 100% of FACT that pigeons are superstitious too.
Commenting by HaloScan
