Roger the Lodger

I don't like magpies they are horrible predators raiding smaller birds nests. They seem to have spread around the country at an alarming rate. For me the only saving grace is that they do look good. Babies are always attractive.

Lovely blog Gee.... we have a magpie who comes everyday.... how lovely to have a baby in your greenhouse.... im sure he will be ok now hes flown away.....

What a sweet tale. I know lots of people are suspicious of Magpies,me included,so I always salute them and ask how their family are doing. Perhaps your little waif will return sometime in the future.

Aww Gee what a touching blog, I felt so sorry for the lonely little Magpie, but pleased to hear he/she eventually flew off, you never know if its a female she may be back next year to lay a few eggs in your greenhouse! ;0)

Thats a lovely tale Gee, they are smashing looking birds and that baby is as cute as any other, I would never actually harm one and allow them to feed in the garden but admit I do try to chase them away from the nests in my hedgerow, they come across as aggressive but its natures way and survival of the fittest, no different than me eating fish and meat really, I'm pleased the little bird accepted you as his foster mum for his few days without its parents, you helped him gather his strength to test his wings and find his freedom in the big wide world..Lets hope he does well.

He was very cute but, after reading up about them on Google, I was concerned he would bond too much and never leave! I made sure he had some food before he went to bed but apart from that he foraged in the garden with the other birds - the blackbirds were not impressed though :)

I had to send a magpie from my garden this morning because it looked as if it wanted to steal Bella's food
(She likes to eat it outside lol)

He obviously liked his lodgings and perhaps felt like he was on his holidays.Hopefully, he's gone off to explore the wider world!
Such attractive birds outwardly but not very pleasant personalities.

Love your tale & how you told it, made me almost feel sorry for the baby bird but no........ I have to agree with Scotsgran, they are nasty mean predators.
I used to live in a valley with a stream, woods & hedges all around, we couldn't understand why there were no birds, no dawn chorus or evening birdsong but there were magpies, a hunting group of 13. They would work thru the hedges systematically. My neighbour had 15 half grown ducklings in a pen, she lifted back the corner of the netting to get a hose to fill their trough & while she was gone a magpie got in & nipped the heads off them all. Didn't take one!
My husband reduced their numbers down to 4, a pair at front & a pair at back. Gradually the smaller birds appeared again & all was well. We had all the usuals plus tree-creeper, kingfisher, green & great spotted woodpeckers, & a jay now & again.
Too many magpies & the balance goes wrong.

Magpies are handsome villains. Last year magpies be headed 3 fledgling blackbirds, just for fun. This year no blackbirds in the garden. They pulled all the mature moss off a sink garden and denuded it. They picked the wires off 5 of my Bonsai to get at moss and the died in a hot spell without the moss protection. They mess up the bird baths with bread mush. I applaud your care for this abandoned fledgling Gee and understand your fear of it getting hefted to your garden. In the same class as foxes denning under our garden shed. Very very destructive in a small garden.

Yes, I've seen them attacking young Starlings many times in our old garden by pecking at their heads until they died. I managed to intervene some times but was too late other times!