Butcher Bird Just Flew Into the House

Our regular visitor Maggie Talonfail - a magpie with one bum foot - just came by with what I believe are her two babies. I mean I know they're babies, but can't be completely sure they're hers, but since she's come with them twice now, and is so confident around them - not usual - along with the fact that the youngsters seem to follow her around, makes me pretty sure. (This ignores that I really have no idea if Maggie is a she - could be male, and could be Dad to the two young.)

So I got some mince, and thereby allowed Maggie to teach her two younguns that we are easy marks, thus ensuring that magpies will be conning us for a good while.

Here's a pretty good shot (with phone, through window) of Maggie (in the middle) with her babes, showing thier distinctive ruffled grey coloring, which will before too long beome the adult magpie's distinctive glossy black. And it even shows Maggie's one lame foot.

While they were here a butcher bird came by. You can see her on the chair arm:

When she wasn't getting any of the mince, she got a bit peeved, and started jumping and fluttering here and there.

And then flew in the door, and landed on a box on the coffee table right behind me:

She hung around for a while, then flew back outside. I then gave her some mince. Everyone's happy.

Update: And back for a snack some minutes later. You can see the little hook on the end of his bill. (More here.)

(That's Christine's concrete snake sculpture behind the butchie!)