Bird Surgery

 While out for a walk two days ago, I and my friend Alun came across a young Australian Magpie in a dire condition. This beautiful black and white bird had two twigs stuck on its feet and those two feet were bound together by a glue-like substance. So it could not fly.

We picked it up and I held it my hands for c. 10 minutes while Alun went to collect his car from where it was parked. On his return, the Magpie had a 3 km ride sitting on my hands. Amazingly, it was quite calm and seemed to enjoy looking out ofthe window. Once home Alun, his wife and I performed a kind of surgery to remove the bird's impediments. It seemed delighted! We took it back to the pick-up locattion and released it. It hopped away singing to itself and then we heard a response by another in the species - presumably its mother!! Job well done! Look up AUstralian magpie on-line to see what it looks like

The magpies are not only pitcturesque, but a renowned as being self assured. Most birds fly away as humans approach, but not the magpie. They look at you with interest and can tell whether you live locally. Interesingly, they also appear to have a complex language which they use when having a conversation with another of their species. However, they do attack humans during the nesting season if you encroach on their territory. Here are some pictures.

Here I am standing in front of Alun's house, bird in hand. I'm glad I was wearing a pair of gloves!

Here I am holding the bird just after the operation commenced. Here the surgeons are removing the twigs.

Later in the operation we also removed the sticky stuff.

AS