Now It's a Butcherbird Conference!

I went outside this morning to say hello to Gerry, our local pied butcherbird juvenile, only to find that on the mulberry tree were Gerry and four adults. Gerry's family only has two adults.

What's up? The other week the intruder group of pied butcherbirds had made a sortie or two over our place and got Freddy, Terry, and Gerry all stirred up, but this time there didn't seem to be any conflict going on at all.

Eventually, Gerry and two birds flew back into their territory and the other two flew off to where the intruders had come from. Clearly they had not fought. Were they planning an alliance, or a deal of some kind? We might find out some time. After that though, the intruders didn't come back. Larry and his grey butcherbird family started up an all fired ruckus of their own, clearly telling the others that if any funny business started, they had his family to deal with!

On another matter, I didn't see Freda, our neighbour's cheeky magpie bub, all day today. As he makes a nuisance of himself all day long usually, I am a little worried. Maybe he'll be back tomorrow. If not, it is possible he's moved out and found a place for himself. The magpies like brave birds, and he's certainly that. I think I mentioned he once sat and watched our neighbour doing arc welding. Keeping my fingers crossed that Freda's okay...