One for sorrow, two for joy ....

Magpie on the garden fence. The RSPB says of the magpie:

With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the magpie in the UK. When seen close-up its black plumage takes on an altogether more colourful hue with a purplish-blue iridescent sheen to the wing feathers, and a green gloss to the tail. Magpies seem to be jacks of all trades - scavengers, predators and pest-destroyers, their challenging, almost arrogant attitude has won them few friends {see here).

Latin name is Pica pica, and in Spanish the bird is known as 'Urraca'.

[Longsight, Manchester, UK]