I share tiny birds more often than I share the bigger birds that visit my place, including the marvellous, carolling magpies. Magpies spend much of their time foraging on the ground so I especially liked seeing this one in a tree, surrounded with soft green foliage.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 1600
Canon R5, Canon Rf 600 f/4 L IS USM
Until now I’d never thought about their ‘carolling’ being so appropriate for Christmas!
This is a youngish bird from the look of its brownish feathers and the mottling on its back. Adult males have bright white backs – adult Australian White-backed Magpies that is, as opposed to the Australian Black-backed Magpies. Adult females (white-backed) have mottled grey backs, while youngsters have mottled brownish-grey backs that gradually change over the first two to three years.
I’ve had some truly wonderful feedback about the calendars which is fabulous especially as I hadn’t listed that many of the photographs have received beaut awards, including the January shot which was a finalist in a Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition and was used as the feature image in the galleries. Many thanks to everyone who supported this somewhat scary and very time-consuming venture.
Wishing you all a truly wonderful Christmas, happy birding, Kim
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All the very best for Christmas and the New Year Kim.
Thank you Doug, and my best wishes to you too, Kim
Thankyou Kim for your weekly photos. Best wishes for Christmas and a happy birding New Year.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and 2024 Valda, full of birdsong and smiles, Kim
I adore magpies and their song sings of home to me. Many of our birds are not precisely musical but magpies and currawongs are the exception.
Thank you for your gorgeous calendar which is going to brighten each and every month next year – and Happy Christmas (and birding) to you and yours.
When my eldest daughter travels, which she does a lot, it was the sound of magpies calling that she missed the most. I hope the calendar and the birding are among a virtual sea of loveliness for you this Christmas and throughout 2024, Kim
I do love the maggies! There is no better way to start your morning, than to be woken up by the carolling of maggies –
‘Quardle wardle ordle doodle ardle…’
I love your description of the call of the magpies Deirdre! Onomatopoeia at it’s creative best. Wishing you a joyous Christmas and 2024, Kim