Family Feud - Magpie Style
..... and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle The Magpies said.
from the poem by - Denis Glover
It all started with these two young fledglings in dispute over who know's what. One attacked the other then an airborne war errupted. 
This photo is compiled from three photos.
Magpies hang out in large family groups so I am guessing the two young ones came from separate families as almost the instant they started to fight, the battle erupted in the skies above. There were about 15 magpies involved in the fighting - doing battle in the back yard and surrounding neighbour's gardens. I do not know if any of you have seen Magpies work together in their air battles with hawks, or other birds, but they are incredibly co-ordinated tactically, and move at frightening speeds - just like the old fashioned WW2 air dogfights and lethal , I can tell you!! It might have been a game to teach the young ones the art of aerial warfare but, whatever it was, it lasted a good 5 minutes and thrilling to watch. I did manage to get a few blurry photos from the many, many I took or thought I was taking of them fighting with no time to set my camera's settings, nor focus. I could not even sight them in my viewfinder - it was just shooting from the hip as they swooped about the sky. It was so beautiful to watch and, had I thought of it, it might have been better if I had changed to movie settings to capture their amazing agility in the air and tactics in their art of warfare. I must add though that 'no bird was harmed or injured in the making of this post'!!
The funniest part of the whole event was one of the young bird which flew up on the roof of the veranda above me, freaking and attempting to hide to keep away from the dangers of the battle raging around him. He was so focused in looking out for his safety that he did not even notice that I was just three feet away taking photos. I could feel his trepidation and see the fear in his eyes as he nervously searched the skies for danger. I hope these few photos have captured his body language.
Can you see the fear in his eyes???
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Thank you for reading!
Denis Glover's poem, The Magpies, is one every New Zealander studies at school and one I am sure every New Zealander Loves
'link'
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Denis Glover's poem, The Magpies, is one every New Zealander studies at school and one I am sure every New Zealander Loves
'link'
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Great shots Keith!! I have been photographing birds a lot this year since getting my Olympus untra-zoom, but the Magpie is proving elusive!!! Still have not managed to get a single decent shot of one.
ReplyDeleteYes I know, but they will come. I have a bird here that is so elusive too - bower bird. So far I have one perfect shot of the female and some blurry or not so good photos of the male - but I know it will come just out of the blue one day. My collection is growing but I think it will be a while before I get the right shots to make a blog. Thanks for the comment too - appreciated!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots Keith.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a Magpie.
Thanks Sue - more info on the Magpie - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Magpie
ReplyDeleteAn awesome photo of the two young ones in the tree Keith, and the rest are fabulous too. When they are nesting they will attack anything that comes near the nest no matter how big it is. I don't like to think of the one on the roof as being frightened, but you are right, it sure looked it to me too.
ReplyDeletehiya stranger!! Thank you for the visit and commenting. I have been hit a few times by magpies when cycling past nests they always attack from out of the sun which I find very smart. One time I was cycling along and thinking thats unusual - a shadow of a bird next to my shadow then Pow!!!! I got hit oh the cheek by the Magpie!! funny really! I am thinking it was more of a game the birds were playing because none of them were actually hurt in the fight - not that I noticed anyway but it was, as I said, thrilling to watch and such a lucky photo to capture.
ReplyDeleteMagpies can get quite nasty at times and will have a go at pecking humans !
ReplyDelete*lol* thrilling to watch..I don't doubt it!
ReplyDeleteI think you were so focused on this, that you forgot the other things happened around you, just like that young bird, but for different reasons.
Fly the friendly skies? I think not! Fun shooting though.
ReplyDeleteyep most likely did! It was almost electric the air and fun too - I have always liked magpies!!
ReplyDeleteCheck out those beaks though. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the fight would have been fantastic to watch and I can just imagine the noise.
Whow Keith, you must be so chuffed to not only be there to see the magpie aerial 'dog-fight' but to also capture such excellent photographs. Your backyard is getting to be an exciting place.
ReplyDelete