Scruffy

Putting the camera in the kitchen in the shade, a fair distance from the feeders which they pillage regularly, I caught him unawares just for a second, no longer, but for once I was the winner! In fact after he flew off I did a quick, 'Ha ha got you!!' - in a fiendish sort of way! It's not often that you can get a shot of a magpie so up close and personal. They are wily, skittish and very very wary, so this is my blip today.

This is a very scruffy youngster one of two born in a nest in the hedge opposite looking a bit bedraggled really possibly because he's growing his adult plumage. They land in the garden early doors squawking and making a hideous racket with their parents, all it seems gossiping, chatting, laughing and always on the look out!

They raid all the nests in the garden and the little tiny birds hate them always giving them as wide a berth as possible. I really don't want to encourage them but they are ok for blipping.