When I was a little girl my brothers and I rode our bikes to school every day, heat, rain, frost, no matter! Off we toddled 2 miles, approx 5 Ks, for the six years we attended the tiny country primary school. In Spring time we were attacked by a family of magpies. Every year the same tree! We would ride reasonably close, pause, and then peddle hell-for-leather hoping we would miss the ping as the sharp beaks connected! I don't think the beaks often did connect but we always heard the snap as they flew past our ears, warning us I suppose!
Little did I think many moons later that I would hear those familiar snaps again! As most of my readers would know I now have an adult (thank heavens) three wheeler bike which I ride around our little town in the mornings. A couple of weeks ago there was the familiar sound which I instantly recognised, as well as the flap of feathers as the magpie swooped at me. One morning he/she followed me, flying from tree to tree, swooping between each one! BUT the good thing NOW is that I wear a helmet so I'm perfectly safe if I were actually caught by those beaks! No helmets back in the days of the dinosaur, just our delicate little heads!
I love to have magpies around, I adore listening to their warbling, a lovely start to the day! Here we have lots of blackbirds and thrushes who welcome the day with their songs. What a beautiful start to the day!
Before we left the farm I heard a scrabbling from a window and looked up to see a magpie silhouetted against the sky, on the fly wire. He probably could see his reflection and was flirting!
Funny old maggies or mudpies as one small grandchild called them!
Amazing hiw hearing birds first thing in the morning just really starts off any day so brilliantly. Loved reading your Maggie reminiscing
ReplyDeleteStill having to avoid swooping birds - Archie called them muffinpies which is so funny. Love you, love me. xx
ReplyDeleteI thought it was mudpies! Muffinpies much better! I'm glad you enjoyed the magpie story Lorraine. xxx
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