There’s a price to be paid if you shirk your familial duties during nesting season.
I’ve been watching a pair of nesting Black-billed Magpies for much of the spring. While the female is incubating eggs she’s fed by her mate so when she’s hungry she typically comes out of the nest and perches on one particular sagebrush fairly close to the nest bush and waits for the male to bring food to her. While she’s there she sometimes calls out to her mate and exhibits begging behavior while he’s foraging for food, either nearby or far away.
At times she doesn’t seem to have much patience while she’s waiting to be fed.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Two weeks ago she waited on the sagebrush for longer than usual while she watched her mate foraging for food nearby. Soon her calling became more insistent and her begging behavior more animated. When those antics achieved no results she took off, still calling as she launched, and headed straight for him on the ground perhaps 75′ in front of her.
It seemed obvious to me that she’d run out of patience.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Within about three seconds she appeared to have him pinned to the ground as she was giving him a piece of her mind.
As far as I could tell he had no food to give her but for a moment or two all I could see was flailing wings and tails in the grass so it’s possible that he had some tidbit inside his bill that she ended up with. After a few moments of apparent disagreement she returned to her “waiting perch” with a noticeably calmer demeanor. Apparently her point had been made.
But as an observer I was left with a strong impression. There’s a price to be paid if you shirk your familial duties to the point of trying the patience of your hungry mate.
Ron
.
Such elegant delinquents…
Oh my, oh my! The stories you and your camera tell. This is better than any TV soap could ever be. Reminds me somewhat of that old British show “She Would Must Be Obeyed”. Thanks for the fun and the fabulous shots. I will remember this as if I had been there myself.
“The stories you and your camera tell”
I loved that, Granny Pat. It’s perfect for what my intention was for this post.
I need the last shot for a Father’s Day card!
🙂
Couple goals? 😂😂 Reminds me of a certain SEOw couple.
Admittedly, I like her style. I wonder if it works on human husbands. I worked with the plumber this morning in exchange for hubby bringing in some lunch after he runs a couple of his errands. What to do. What to do. 😋
Marty, I worked with a plumber this morning too. An expensive one (I guess plumber and expensive are redundant).
Grinning here.. Thank you. And thinking that I may need to be more direct…
You’re welcome for the new tactic, EC… 🙂
You keep bringing us such intimate, and at times comedic, avian moments. This one has a little of both.
Love the look on his face❗️If momma ain’t happy….
He looks properly meek and chastised doesn’t he, Diana.
I see birds vying for position at the feeders all day long. I’ve yet to see one look as absolutely pissed off as she does. If momma ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy. Hate to say it, but you could sell a lot of t-shirts…
“Hate to say it, but you could sell a lot of t-shirts”
Don’t put any ideas in my head, Lyle. After buying a new high-end camera my savings account could use some replenishment.
I would buy that shirt in a heartbeat! 😂
Excellent shots Ron, and good observation and understanding of what all the action was about. She was not about to let him get away with a less than stellar food delivery performance. I think my wife flies off her perch from time to time to remind me that my performance is not meeting her expectations.
“I think my wife flies off her perch from time to time to remind me that my performance is not meeting her expectations.
Everett, In my day I’ve had two of them (wives) and I put myself in the same kettle of fish with both of them. Often. Sometimes almost continuously…
Bird behavior. It’s what keeps some of us motivated to continue setting that alarm.
We are thankful for your consistently outstanding efforts, Ron.
Hang on a sec.
(“What, Dear? Breakfast? I’m looking at Ron’s blog. OW! Okay, how do you want your eggs, Sweetheart?)
Uhhh, I gotta go now.
(54 years of happiness. No, really.)
Made me laugh, Wally. No, really… 🙂
Fun! 🙂 Appears she DID make her point 😉 Have some of that going on here at present with 2 active nests (UGH). The “calling” IS different from the usual squawk fest – can certainly get on ones nerves tho as I’m sure it’s designed to do! 😉
Judy, some of the sounds they make, especially near the nest, are soft and complex and I actually find them endearing.
They are – it’s just what they foretell – one near my bedroom window! 😉
Wow! Maybe he’s still young and has alot more to learn? Thx for the very interesting show and tell.
I’m glad you found it interesting, Terri. Thanks.
“There’s a price to be paid if you shirk your familial duties” oh how true that statement is !!
Love your shot!
Dick, at our age that’s a lesson we should have learned long ago… 🙂
Absolutely – our 64th anniversary is coming up next month!
This is very interesting behavioral information. Thanks
Thank you, Pam.