Midges with Magpie

Whitebacked magpie, Gymnorhina hypoleuca, I think, can't be certain without seeing the back.

I was trying to get a decent shot of the resident song thrush perched at the top of the very tall Douglas fir tree. Suddenly he swooped down and flew under the hedge. Puzzled I glanced back up at the tree where he'd been. There was the magpie, the scourge of all the small birds in the neighbourhood. What surprised me even more was the cloud of midges that came with it. There were none in the shot of the thrush I'd taken just seconds before.


Thank you all so much for the comments, hearts and stars yesterday. I was rather nervous about posting an SP, but it was all very exciting. I have enjoyed visiting the journals of every person who left a comment. What a lot of interesting and talented people. I wouldn't normally get to see so many journals in one day, but you all made this a special occasion.