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Azure-winged Magpie, Algarve, Portugal.
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Photo Details
Colin Key
user
Registered: December 2007
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Posts: 3,384
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Canon 1DMk3, 100-400mm +1.4TC
1/2,500s f/8.8 at 560mm ISO 800
Far too many of these birds here now - the population must have trebled in the past ten years. It is not uncommon to see flocks of 100+ outside the breeding season. Their aggressive behaviour is having a detrimental effect on the populations of other garden breeders (Blackcap, Garden Warbler, etc.). I have witnessed a group of ten or so birds attack and kill a Songthrush in the winter for no apparent reason.
Time to get the air rifle out, perhaps?
Colin
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· Date: Fri June 19, 2009 · Views: 3,207
· Filesize: 35.7kb, 321.1kb · Dimensions: 850 x 552 ·
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Additional Info
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Keywords: Azure-winged Magpie, Algarve, Portugal.
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PeterD
Senior Member
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Registered: February 2008
Location: Portsmouth
Posts: 1,256
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Lovely shot Colin. The standard Magpies here in the UK are also greatly increased in numbers. I suspect that the number of road kills of wild animals has something todo with their rise. You often see these and Crow family members picking at killed animals. At first I thought that this was good in that a full stomach would reduce the amount of chicks being killed in the nest but all it seems to have done is increase the numer of these birds.
Peter
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PeterD
www.imageinuk.com
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Colin Key
user
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Registered: December 2007
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Posts: 3,384
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Thanks Peter,
I think I might start a new thread on the forum about the carnage that these and other species are committing against passarines - I put in the air rifle comment in the hope that it might kindle a debate (I know that it is a contentious "old chestnut").
Colin
P.S. Pleased to hear that you have been loaned a brand new bigma lens - if your own goes missing between Japan and the U.K. will you be allowed to keep it?
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Fòrum Aves: http://aves.team-forum.net/forum
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PeterD
Senior Member
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Registered: February 2008
Location: Portsmouth
Posts: 1,256
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There is always hope Colin......... Actually, if they fix it I would be just as happy to recieve it back.
Looks like you are out of luck starting a debate Colin.
I will add one comment though, I was walking on Portchester Common a few months back when I spotted some people with rifles. They were shooting Wood Pigeons! I retreated to a safe distance and out of sight then phoned the police. These guys were shooting into bushes near a main road without seeming to care about the consequences. I got into the car and beat a hasty retreat.
PS I was going to add, the magpies seem to have heard you as they have got their heads down.
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PeterD
www.imageinuk.com
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