Bart the Magpie baby

In the vicinity of the baby Tawny Frogmouth tree is an Australian Magpie – Gymnorhina tibicen – nest. I must say although Tawny frogmouths are my favourite native bird, magpies with their beautiful calls come a close second.

A few days ago in the stormy weather one of the young ones fell out. Unlike the baby Tawny Frogmouth that was only a few days old this baby is a bit bigger and is starting to get its feathers. It cannot really walk and uses its wings a bit to get around and it is looking pretty scrawny.

The magpie parents continued to feed the baby on the ground and my friend took it in at night away from feral animals and snuck out early in the morning to return this little one to the bushes where it sat and was fed by its parents all day.

It has been staying on top of the wood pile out of direct harms way and the parents are continuing to feed it there.

My friend has named it ‘Bart’ and I must say it seems to suit it.

Bart has now been moved higher onto a branch of the Olive tree below the tawny Frogmouth nest, but with wilder winds and rain today, he has either fallen or jumped over the edge to the ground and made his way to a nearby rubbish pit where he runs the risk of being taken by some ground dwelling creature. Despite being put back twice onto the branch where the parents are coming to feed him he seems a determined little bird still taking the risk of going into dangerous territory on the ground! Maybe he doesn’t like heights!

Perhaps he may just have to reside back in the laundry this evening otherwise he may not survive the night!

 ‘Bart’ seems to have a bit of ‘tude happening there!