Let’s see your pictures of spring.

[Mark J]

[Mark J]

[peds]

Not as adorable as a clutch of tiny little blue tit chicks or something like that, and not exactly ideal for the local population of nesting birds... especially here in Ireland, where they are non-native originally and brought themselves over in just the last few hundred years; but still fun to see.

 

 

 

Four little critters I think, and almost ready for fledging by the looks of it. 

 

I realise I don't have a picture of the nest from below. I'll fix this tomorrow morning. 

Edited April 23 by peds

[Mark J]

19 minutes ago, peds said:

Not as adorable as a clutch of tiny little blue tit chicks or something like that, and not exactly ideal for the local population of nesting birds... especially here in Ireland, where they are non-native originally and brought themselves over in just the last few hundred years; but still fun to see.

 

 

 

Four little critters I think, and almost ready for fledging by the looks of it. 

 

I realise I don't have a picture of the nest from below. I'll fix this tomorrow morning. 

The magpies nest, I came across one where they had incorporated anti-bird spikes into the structure. Smart things are corvids. For something with a brain so small. 

[peds]

So freaking clever. To be honest, I might try and befriend these ones. Maybe I'll take some shreds of meat up there tomorrow to bribe the younglings with. I've always wanted a corvid army.

 

This nest is very impressive, I have to say. It has a roof.

[Mark J]

46 minutes ago, peds said:

So freaking clever. To be honest, I might try and befriend these ones. Maybe I'll take some shreds of meat up there tomorrow to bribe the younglings with. I've always wanted a corvid army.

 

This nest is very impressive, I have to say. It has a roof.

They're fond of stalking hedgerows for open nests. They know the benefits of a roof. 

 

Edited April 23 by Mark J

[AHPP]

1 hour ago, Mark J said:

I came across one where they had incorporated anti-bird spikes into the structure.

 

Did you get a picture by any chance?

[Mike Hill]

[Mick Dempsey]

20 hours ago, peds said:

Not as adorable as a clutch of tiny little blue tit chicks or something like that, and not exactly ideal for the local population of nesting birds... especially here in Ireland, where they are non-native originally and brought themselves over in just the last few hundred years; but still fun to see.

 

 

 

Four little critters I think, and almost ready for fledging by the looks of it. 

 

I realise I don't have a picture of the nest from below. I'll fix this tomorrow morning. 

Did a bit of research, and you’re right, they came over to Wexford (under their own steam) in the 1700s.

 

So doesn’t that make them native? 
  

 

[peds]

I don't think so, no, but if they'd brought themselves over 10,000 years ago instead... yes.

So there must be a cut-off point somewhere on that timeline, for me anyway. How long does it take for a species to become naturalised?

 

Of course, Irish and British flora, fauna, and feather are so similar anyway, does it really matter? Can magpies here be thought of as invasive when the same species have to deal with them just on the other side of the Irish sea?

 

Big questions that I don't feel particularly equipped to deal with at the moment.