Tim writes: I did see plenty of ordinary Magpies in China, but they were completely upstaged by their beautiful, blue cousins. These striking birds were extraordinarily wary but with time and patience I managed to capture several photographs. Its body is about the same size as a common Magpie but the tail is much longer, one of the longest tails of any member of the crow family. The tail is even more striking when spread as it is diamond-shaped with black and white tips. They are common in hilly districts in China and adjacent countries in the eastern Himalayas.
I am sure the Chinese will hate them like our sick folk back here! Have we seen the stories of the NEW Urban Buzzards taking our Magpies out of their nests in the Mail, Express or Sun or the Sparrowhawks that GOVE wants to kill drowning them as prey. And when will the Goshawk be allowed to become totally the URBAN control species like in Germany? May be we need to bring a few to London to kick start the coloniseation!
I hope you’re getting better