Magpie Menace

Dilys watched the garden from her cwtch in the ivy. It was nesting season and partner Ivor was out collecting materials. He flit busily between bushes and branches below her. The blackbird couple had worked hard to bring up their young last year, and they were preparing to do it all over again this year. It had been rewarding to see them hatch and grow from chicks to fledglings, and on to adult blackbirds.

Ever alert, Dilys and Ivor had protected their young throughout the spring from the nest raiders. And when the blackbird fledglings left the nest for a quieter life on the ground, the couple spent their days flying back and forth with food for them. All summer long the gentle "chook chook chook" of the parents could be heard as they called to let their young know it was feeding time.

"You stay the hell away from my babies, you egg thief!"

An alarm call interrupted Dilys's reminiscing. A black and white blur zipped past the cwtch, with her neighbour Hattie fluttering furiously after it. 

"How dare you, thinking you can sneak in and just take one! Not on my watch magpie bastard! Oh the cheek of it, I'll 'ave you!" The would-be thief was well away by now, but Hattie did not let up. She was livid. Setting down on a fence she continued the tirade, "When I get a hold of you, there will be nothing left for the buzzards. You hear me magpie?! Don't let me catch you in my garden again!"

She paused to compose herself, then satisfied she had seen the last of it, Hattie whipped back to her nest. Dylis looked around from her spot in the tree, and spied Hattie's partner Michael. He was perched atop an ivy laden fence watching the skies where the magpie had flown. Statue still and silent, he waited to make sure the magpie was not doubling back, before flying off to join Hattie at their nest.

The blackbird pairs always protected the garden territories in this way. The females would do the shouting and chasing, while the males would hang back and guard the rear. This was an effective tactic for the blackbirds, and they had yet to lose any young to the magpies. Although larger than the blackbirds, magpies were some of the most cowardly corvids, and were easily chased off by a determined blackbird female.

"She's a fierce one eh, love?" Ivor murmured. He had finished gathering materials, and nestled in next to Dylis.
"Aye. I'm grateful for it too. Our chicks will be safe with Hattie patrolling the gardens again this year." 
"Too right."

The pair cwtched up in the ivy. Soon they would have to finish building their nest, but just for now they were going to relax and enjoy eachother's company. It was going to be a busy two seasons for them.