Vicky Rejects a Suitor

Last week there was a new, nervous young male magpie paying us a visit. He was doing his best to show us he was brave and intelligent, and he came right up to our glass back door, and when we went outside, he would hold his ground and try to show how he was not going to be frightened, but equally he wanted to say hello and get to know the humans.

Mindy and Monty (Vicky's now-adult kids) didn't like this new guy at all, and even though he would stand next to Vicky on the ground and she would let him eat with us, you could see how the other two were grumbling about things under their breath. Every now and then, one of them, Monty in particular, would suddenly fly at the new bird and chase him around the house—but he would fly right back to Vicky and settle near her out of harm's way.

All was going well; but then disaster for the new bird! Freda, a juvenile from neighbour Billy's family, who doesn't take 'no' for an answer, and who insists on eating with whomever she likes without regard for proper bird protocol, came and started eating with Vicky's family, and the new bird took her on. A real ding-dong all-in fight ensued, and Freda, who is somewhat backward but extremely strong, managed to tip over the new bird. Embarassment! We haven't seen the new bird since. Did Vicky reject him or did he feel too humiliated to stay? We feel very sad for the new bird, but we can do nothing but wish him well wherever he has now gone. Then there is the matter of the fast-approaching breeding season; will Vicky find a new mate? Will she have an affair? Will one of the kids find a mate? We're starting to get a bit worried.