Beware the lollipop of Mediocrity - Lick it once and You'll Suck Forever.

If you don't live in Oz then you've missed one of life's great pleasures. The pleasure isn't about living here, goodness knows it's a dull place at best; no the pleasure is in the wildlife.

 

 I was hanging out the washing today (domestic goddess *strikes a pose* ) and was amused to see a magpie hunting grubs. OK, I know that doesn't sooound like much and that maybe I need to get a life but just wait, there's more to this.

 

 In Spring, magpies go slightly nutsoid. The male's -unsuitable language warning: testicles grow tenfold and they get very aggressive and try to kill pretty much anything. They will dive-bomb humans that walk anywhere near the nests (like, in the same city as) and try to rip off your scalp. The effect on their brains however is much more amusing. 

 

 Like over exercised athletes, the added testosterone in the bird's systems makes the magpies twitchy. they go about talking to themselves and chortling, almost as if they're laughing at "the voices."

 

 Back to the magpie that was hunting grubs in my backyard this morning. As I stood there hanging clothes, I heard a strange little voice behind me, chattering. I turned around and saw on the ground about 5 metres away, a small black and white shape. It was a magpie, out for some breakfast. It was walking about as they do, kind of a strutting and talking to itself. It chortled and laughed and even sounded as though it was yelling at times. As I looked at it, the bird stopped in it's tracks, looked up at me and stopped talking. I felt as though I had interrupted his conversation with himself.

 

 This marvelous bird looked for all the world like either a drunk, staggering about talking to unheard voices or a yuppie in a fine, glossy business suit, talking too loudly on his mobile 'phone while shopping for groceries. 

 

Life is good.

 

,[:-)