Talkback: Magpies in the garden

The Thieving Magpie,It most probably think's your grapes are gem stones and is taking them back to it's nest,Sid the blackbird is still singing early in the morning,You can have him back any time thank you.

Oldchippy.

I have a couple of families of magpies living around the plot. They take on average a coiuple of hen eggs a week which they go in the hen house to thieve, but they have also taken the odd chick before now, but then so have the jackdaws. Can't net the chicken run as it is too big. So I have to live and let live, until they get too many. 

Nil desperandum, Kate. Your magpie is obviously a drinker and is sampling the grapes for strength of fermentation. When it is to his liking he will imbibe a bit too much and go off and find himself a mate. Your garden will be too small for the pair of them and back will come your small birds. Awww, everyone deserves to have a robin for company in their garden.

Bless them, they're like little velociraptors!

I don't often see my resident pair - just when they come for a bit of breakfast. They're banished by Quentin the carrion crow who torments him whenever he sees them but they manage to function in their territory.

I have ravens, rooks, jackdaws and jays here too and a very healthy song bird population including yellowhammers and reed buntings so they don't have any negative impact that I've noticed. A nice balanced ecosystem without much interference from anyone's free-roaming furry pets.

Happymarion, my country robins are very shy but I do have swans and geese for company! Luckily they don't know how to get in to help me with the gardening..

We have 8 magpies often gather together in our garden - beautiful to look at but very sinister. Also 2 pairs of nesting blackbirds. Did have great tits again in bird box but female blackbird attacked them and they've moved elsewhere. Also have Dunnocks nesting and occasional visit from wren, and a few goldfinch.

sorry but I hate magpies..one year I stood in the kitchen watching one poke its beak into my blue tits nest box & one by one tear a leg off the baby & drop them to the ground..
For 3yrs I`ve had no blue tits but this year have 2 families nesting in boxes...which makes a delightful change as I have noticed great tits taking over..lovely to see their little blue heads again..

Hi Kate,I have just been watching the Goldfinch picking up the dog fur from the garden,It's better than painting the bedroom walls,They have been coming in the garden all week so it's dog grooming time to give them a nice warm nest,

Oldchippy.