Bit of a mystery

[Pin-seeker]

Can anyone come up with a explanation for this?
So the Mrs keeps horses & in the field is a bath for the horses to drink from.
Within the last 10 days we've found 3 dead magpies in the bath (all on seperate occasions) & I've just found another 1 dead at the side of the bath.
We've had the field over 10 years & never had any before now🤔

 

[Norrin Radd]

i would get the water tested if i were you,

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

The obvious answer would be some kind of poison. Have you had them tested just in case? Some idiot could be trying to get to the horses by putting something in their drinking water and the birds are getting hit first.

 

[Pin-seeker]

The water feed runs from my house.

 

[BesCumber]

Theres a good chance they're young birds who have basically cocked up and drowned themselves.They slip on the wet trough, get waterlogged and can't get out. Used to see it quite a lot on the farm in me youth, especially during a warm spell. Just check the water everyday, which i bet you do anyway, horses can be funny and will refuse to drink out of the trough whilst the dead bird is there.

 

[Farneyman]

3 for a girl...

 

[Pin-seeker]

Theres a good chance they're young birds who have basically cocked up and drowned themselves.They slip on the wet trough, get waterlogged and can't get out. Used to see it quite a lot on the farm in me youth, especially during a warm spell. Just check the water everyday, which i bet you do anyway, horses can be funny and will refuse to drink out of the trough whilst the dead bird is there.

Just seems strange that they were all magpies.
Wouldn't really bother me,but the Mrs refuses to move them,so I have to go and do it 😣

 

[BesCumber]

Just seems strange that they were all magpies.
Wouldn't really bother me,but the Mrs refuses to move them,so I have to go and do it 

I know what you mean, not nice.
Me dad used to say you get mostly magpies because of the sun reflecting of the water.
If you've a lot of magpies about other birds will stay well out of the way, may explain the lack of any other species.
I bet there's a forumite who does a bit of twitching on the sly, who'll come along later with a more definitive answer. I'm interested to know meself.:mmm: :thup:

 

[williamalex1]

We've had a few Magpies crash into our rear patio doors, around mid afternoon. They leave a full body and wing powdery imprint on the glass, but no dead birds found yet.
It's probably the reflection of the sky on the glass or water that confuses them.
I'm just thankful that elephants don't fly

 

[masterosouffle]

Are there any injuries to them that would suggest an air rifle? Might be a local picking them off whilst they're having a drink...

 

[Pin-seeker]

I did think it could be the sun shining off the water that was attracting them,but having had the field so long and it never happening before i thought probably not.
Can't see any obvious injuries to the birds & don't see people shooting over there.

 

[williamalex1]

I did think it could be the sun shining off the water that was attracting them,but having had the field so long and it never happening before i thought probably not.
Can't see any obvious injuries to the birds & don't see people shooting over there.

Kamikaze Magpies , a remake of The Birds .

 

[SocketRocket]

My old Grandma used to salute when she saw a Magpie, said it was bad luck not to.

 

[williamalex1]

My old Grandma used to salute when she saw a Magpie, said it was bad luck not to.

I seem to remember my Grandma saying something like that too, was it " good morning misses magpie "

S.R we're too old to be talking to old birds

 

[Farneyman]

1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
and 4 for a boy
5 for silver
and 6 gold and 7 for a secret never to be told

 

[PhilTheFragger]

1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
and 4 for a boy
5 for silver
and 6 gold and 7 for a secret never to be told

MAGPIE
Who remembers the 1970's ITV rip off of Blue Peter,
The Magpie was called Murgatroyd,

 

[Smiffy]

My old Grandma used to salute when she saw a Magpie, said it was bad luck not to.

Unless you were riding a bike.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

MAGPIE
Who remembers the 1970's ITV rip off of Blue Peter,
The Magpie was called Murgatroyd,

I remember it but not a patch on Blue Peter especially one Susan Stranks left. It. Was actually The Spencer Davis Band under the pseudonym the Murgatroyd Band that did the theme tune

 

[patricks148]

We don't get magpies In Inversneck... not yet anyway. They are moving west from Moray and Aberdeen -shire though.

Pesky bloody things, one stole the keys out the back door when we lived down south, had to get a guy in with a Lanson trap to get rid of them in the end.

PS I don't know, but can ask a friend who works for The RSPB.

 

[Pin-seeker]

We don't get magpies In Inversneck... not yet anyway. They are moving west from Moray and Aberdeen -shire though.

Pesky bloody things, one stole the keys out the back door when we lived down south, had to get a guy in with a Lanson trap to get rid of them in the end.

PS I don't know, but can ask a friend who works for The RSPB.

If you don't mind,cheers.