One for Joy

A combination of poor weather, new job and two year old twins has meant that I have not been out ringing with group as often as I would have liked this year. So my garden has been the focus of my ringing and a warm spring has helped. In the last few days a pair of Magpies have been visiting my garden and hoovering up the dried mealworms I put out for the Starlings.

Magpies are not everyone's cup of tea, but I have a soft spot for corvids. I love how intelligent they are, and despite the Potter traps being baited they had avoided them – until yesterday. Despite being a relatively common bird, it is one that we rarely catch due to their cautious nature. This 6 (adult) male was only the second I have ever ringed and the first for the group since 2017, and as a bonus I neither got bitten nor clawed!

Alex