Magpie moments

Spring sprang and so did the flutter of birds around our yard.  I love having little finches, robins, buntings and grossbeaks come to the feeder.  It didn't last because two magpies decided my very large pine tree was going to be their special nesting place.  There wasn't much I could do.  Now, Magpies are a very pretty bird.  However, they are loud and aggressive.  They started their cawing around 4 am every morning.  It isn't even light at 4 am, not even during daylight savings time.  The sad thing - my little birds, except robins disappeared.    Magpies are oniverous, so the little birds probably left for their own safety.

Growing up we had a large orchard.  Magpies visited daily supping on our cherries and pecking our apricots.  My brother, in frustration, (i won't name which brother) would open his upstairs bedroom window and blast them with the shotgun.  Now, shooting Magpies was probably against the law.  I am not sure he ever hit.  It just made him feel better, but, it did cause some alarm with the neighbors.  We didn't have really close neighbors, but close enough to hear the shotgun.

I was about to that point myself - the blasting part.  They were not scared of my dogs and they actually terrified the cat.  So, it was a deal with it situation.  I thought when the babies hatched and flew the family would leave.  Oh no, not happening.  

One day we were outside and I had two grandkids with me.  We heard a big ruckus on the side of the house.  We went around to the side of the house and there were two baby magpies trying fly.  They had flown into the hydrangea bush and when we approached they were hitting the fence.  They couldn't get back up in the air.  I happened to say - out loud - I just feel like strangling these noisy birds.  I was quickly put into place by both grandkids that I was being naughty, and - we don't hurt birds.

Grandkids went home and the noise continued for days while baby birds learned to fly.  One day, I decided I was just going out there and hose them all off with water when I saw them.  These very sweet, loud, pretty black and white birds lined up on a large branch in the pine tree.  Four baby magpies sitting there starring at me.  Well, needless to say there were no waterworks and I let nature take its course with the baby birds.  They are still here loud and irritating.  But I have made my peace with them.  I know that eventually they will all fly somewhere.  And today, my little finches braved the wild and were at the birdfeeder.  There is hope after all.