Fight!

Magpies having a punch-up, Lostock Park

I'd gone for an hour's walk round my local patch to see whether I was up to a proper birding excursion later this week. Fairly quiet all round, a small mixed tit flock worked its way through the poplars and a handful each of blackbirds and robins.

Quite a few magpies about, generally in lose groups of two or three. Until I threw some suet pellets under some elder bushes. As is often the way, the magpies soon forgot about the food and turned their attentions on making sure each knew its place.

Scrapping magpies

Scrapping magpies

Scrapping magpies

Scrapping magpies

Scrapping magpies

Scrapping magpies

After five minutes' noisy kerfuffle involving up to six magpies at times victor and vanquished got up and chased after a carrion crow that had taken most of the food they'd been fighting over.