I hear hem high in trees near me, they sound as if the are clucking. Not the soft hen cluck, but a deeper cluck. Always know they are there by that sound.
I understand it's a charm of goldfinches; magpies come in a charm, you are right, but also a "conventicle" - charm is easier to say. I too like their antics and a "squabble" might be more apt!
we have a family that come to nest in our neighbours garden and I watch them build a nest which could of been in a better place as the crow came and took the eggs .they are fun to watch as they seem to be up to allsorts . a chatter of magpies.
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a nest robbing, chick murdering, pain in the neck of magpies??
Just realised- not clucking as in 'cluck, cluckcluckcluck, cluck' but single 'Cluck' pause, then 'Cluck'
Never heard more than one at a time anyway
a murder of magpies? could be.
Philippa, I'm with you on cats. RSPB reckon domestic cats kill 70 - 80 million garden birds a year. , that's one a month per cat on average.
A rattle of magpies?
Acackle of magpies?