Two for joy: Magpies and walking with others
Join me for a walk this Sunday // Magpie superstitions
My mum was staying with me in Kent last week and every time she saw a magpie* (which was a lot), she got all excited and said “Hello Mr Magpie, where’s Mrs Magpie and all the little baby magpies?”, something we said a lot when I was little.
Mum lived in London for over 20 years, and in The Midlands before that, so she’s certainly seen a lot of magpies in her time, but they’re not often spotted where she lives now, in Scotland. Her excitement was a good reminder to not take the things you see all the time for granted. When you take some time to properly look, magpies aren’t just black and white and their feathers really are quite spectacular!
So, inspired by my visit from McMum, this week I’m encouraging you to do a couple of things…
Get outside with somebody else. Whether you’re walking, swimming, running, cycling, gardening, birdwatching or simply sitting on a bench, spending time outdoors with others is always worth doing. You’re bound to notice things you otherwise wouldn’t, as each of you can bring a new perspective, a different personal experience, or just encourage you to see things a little bit differently. Hosting and attending Wild South London Wild Walks** has been brilliant for this - people ask questions and share their own knowledge and stories, meaning it’s almost impossible not to notice or learn something new. If you can’t get a person to walk with you, a dog is the next best thing - I’ve noticed tons of interesting (and sometimes disgusting) things, thanks to Noushi sniffing them out or seeing them first.
Look at something in nature you see all the time in a new way. A tree you walk past every day, some moss growing on your wall, that pigeon on your neighbour’s roof... Maybe you can take a photo of it on macro mode, or just zoom right in. Perhaps you have some binoculars you can use to get a closer look. Or maybe you just take the time to stop and really look at it for the first time ever.
*It’s Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) I’m talking about in this case. Right now, on the other side of the world, the Australian magpies are in swooping season - ouch!
**The next Wild Walk is this Sunday in Brockwell Park, please come along!
Further Reading
Humans have been acting strange around magpies for hundreds of years... mostly thanks to rumours spread by the Church! So many superstitions!
Magpie facts, for your viewing pleasure.
Like other corvids, magpies are really intelligent and can pass the mirror test.
Join me on a walk this Sunday in London
Join us at the next Wild South London Wild Walk, which will be at Brockwell Park in Herne Hill this Sunday.
This walk will be an informal gathering and wander, looking for signs of autumn, sharing stories, things we notice and ways to celebrate the new season, including marking the Celtic Wheel of the Year festival, Mabon.
Tickets are free, but please register for a space here so we know how many people to expect!
My favourite bird
Magpies are unofficially my city's 'bird' and they are everywhere. I've seen them participate in some pretty disgusting eating practices, but still love them, and after reading about the superstition once, always say hello when I pass by one while walking my dog. :)