Sophie and Butch

Poor Sophie magpie has still not let us catch her to take her to the vet for her flu and eye trouble. When I got the cage out, she knew it was for her and squarked and flew up into the tree. Dimpy butcherbird, and Mindy and Monty magpies tried out the cage, seemingly knowing that it wasn't there for them. I did get a bit of a feeling today that Sophie looked a little bit better, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

As for Butch, since the day we let her go and she and Cas spent the day singing all around their territory, I haven't seen either of them. Dimpy, Kerry, and one or two new birds have held the territory quite easily from the intruder group. In the past we have seen the grey butcherbird parents leave their territory for extended periods (a few months) at times, leaving the kids in charge, and then returning as if nothing has happened. Maybe the pied butcherbirds do this too? Or maybe Butch and Cas have decided after Butch's near scrape with blindness and death, to 'retire' and leave the job of raising a family to the next generation? We'll see, I suppose!