Another week of humdrum drawing to a close and Friday I can feel the anticipation and passion burning up inside me for what I will see at the weekend! Got up this morning for an early dawn session to be met by the bare branches of the tree and silhouettes of 6 Blackbirds, all waiting for my suet and pastry balls! All feeders stocked and tea made I position myself, excitedly anticipating a mad rush! I sit and watch... they sit and watch! As the light improves the 6 Blackbirds descend, along with 2 Robins, 8 Starlings, 4 H Sparrows, 2 Gt Tits, 1 Dunnock, 1 Blue Tit, 4 Chaffinches, 1 (F) Blackcap, 1 Magpie, 2 L T Tits.
Also about, 2 W Pigeons, 6 Carrion Crows, 1 H Gull.
I shall stake out the garden later in the hope of seeing Goldcrest or Firecrest.
Here's a question for the experts: How on earth do you sex a Magpie?
6 hours ago
On average a male magpie weighs 187g whereas a female weighs 166g. A male has a tail length of 285mm against a females 264mm. Amales wing chord is 206mm whereas a females is 196mm, also a male's tarsus is 50.4mm where as a female's is 48mm.
ReplyDeletePs - they also have different sexual organs (ha ha). Basically you would need to trap them and take measurements.
Easy peasy then! Thanks Mr Stiths. Impressive.
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