Crows v Magpies

Crows v Magpies

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Dave and I were watching a load of crows in the sky, and I remembered ages ago in the SHAC how we‘d had a cool session, learning all the collective nouns and names for the various groups of birds. Could I remember the Crows? A Parliament of crows I thought, but then I was pretty sure the Owls were also a parliament. …so what do you do? You let your fingers do the walking, and ask Google…

crows – a horde of crows
crows – a hover of crows
crows – a mob of crows
crows – a murder of crows
crows – a muster of crows
crows – a parcel of crows
crows – a parliament of crows
crows – a storytelling of crows

I like the storytelling of crows! That’s excellent. We live in Crowborough too. Home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Then I wanted to know about magpies. After all, they are part of the crow family, (corvids) aren’t they?

magpies – a conventicle of magpies
magpies – a gulp of magpies
magpies – a mischief of magpies
magpies – a tidings of magpies
magpies – a tittering of magpies

Love the Mischief of magpies!

Oi oi!! Standoff!

But back to the magpie. Hands up who sees a lone magpie, then starts scanning the area for the second one before being able to relax! One’s for sorrow, two’s for joy, right? I’m pretty sure it’s something most of us do.

Most of us of an age will remember the TV series Magpie, and of course recall the verse :

One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a girl
Four for a boy
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret, never to be told

but what about the rest of the verse?

Eight for a wish
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird you must not miss .

But did you know there‘s another, older verse?

One for sorrow
Two for mirth
Three for a funeral
four for a birth

I think I’ll stick with the newer version!!

We’ve got some superb Magpie stencils and Groovi plates. Let me go find them…click here

I did a neat trick with a Gelpress in a Youtube once, using these stencils. Like it so much I framed it and hung it on my wall…

If you can’t hear me, just turn the volume up.

Quote for the day.

A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song

Maya Angelou.

Love always

Barb x x x

31 thoughts on “Crows v Magpies

  1. Always have to say ‘good morning Mr. Magpie’ too, we have about half a dozen around our garden and there’s one that tells the cats off ! Don’t do a lot of bird stuff as I’m not keen on fluttering things – says someone who throws a chicken wing on the garage for the local kite ! They do make a nice pic though ! X

  2. My nan always said a little rhyme like that about sneezing too.
    Once a wish, twice a kiss, three times a letter, four times something better!
    I’m not really superstitious and we don’t really see magpies up in Highland. x

  3. One for sorrow, two for mirth, three for a wedding, four for a birth, is the version I know. and yes, always scan for how many, and say good morning Mr magpie, but I am not in the least bit superstitious!
    might have to investigate the stencils as I am getting in to gel plates…..

  4. We always wave at a magpie. I was also taught to say, ‘Good morning Mr Magpie, give my regards to your wife and family,’ thereby acknowledging he was never on his own!
    Don’t like them in the garden though as they can kill smaller birds.
    Hope you are having a restful weekend. Xx

  5. I think Corvids have great characters. My favourite is the jackdaw. Love watching them. But I send the dog out to chase the magpies because they eat the chicks in the nest.
    Love the quote for today. It’s amazing how many rhymes there are about birds.
    Feeling sorry for myself today, got Covid (again)
    Look after yourself and keep getting better. X

  6. Definitely with you on the Magpie’s, always look for number 2. Just watched the video, thanks for reminding us how to do a gelli print – really need to be brave & get mine out to have a play. After all its just a piece of card & a bit of paint so what can go wrong !!
    The dies & bijou stamps from last Friday’s show arrived today so I have been trying the dies out. Cut out cleanly even mirror card so have a little stash to use on my cards. Now to try the stamps, thought they would make great cards for male members of the family but will see what happens when I start.
    Looking forward to tomorrows show at 3pm – samples so far from the DT are fabulous x

  7. Lovely video Barbara, I wonder how many takes it took for you to do it.. can imagine the laughter 😂

  8. I’m not keen on magpies (but used to love the programme!). We have quite a large pond in our garden and we used to get a pair of mallards visiting every day. We always thought that they left at night but woke up one morning to 13 little babies swimming on the pond, with Mum looking on! She had obviously got a nest nearby. Then the magpies started gathering!! Suffice to say, she didn’t end up with 13 babies. Just horrible 🙁
    I wasn’t a fan of crows either but there are two that come to me every day when I walk our dog and follow me round the park whilst I throw treats for each of them AND the dog. The dog quite happily shares! They’re very clever birds and they definitely recognise us when we’re there!
    So pleased you’re on the up Barbara. Take it easy though xx

  9. We had a large garden at our last house and it was full of birds, magpies among them. Here, I occasionally hear birds at the crack of dawn but rarely see them. Had a rogue Peacock land in the garden, led us a merry chase and finished up on the garage roof before disappearing to who knows where. Surprising what you miss after you move house.
    Don’t remember the magpie items, will have to have a hunt through the stamp stash.
    There are several versions of the magpie poem, not sure which I prefer.
    Will have to watch the video later as dinner is ready.
    Keep well. 🍒🍒🍒

  10. It’s amazing how you recite such verses when you’re out and about; we always recite the new version if we see magpies and have never heard the older version. There are quite a number of crows on our walk and they do make us laugh as they play with the protector guards placed over saplings planted in a field. They seem to fly high with the tubes in their beaks and then let them fall and pounce once again down; repeating the same process time and time again. It must be a game they have going on 🤔

  11. We have lots of Magpies around us and last summer I once counted twelve on the trees near our garden. When you see them up close they are magnificent birds but remind me of a bouncer dressed in their black suits with white shirts.
    I’ve finished my major sort out of craft stash today. It’s amazing how just tidying can create space for storage.
    I had three piles going….keep, bin or give to my friend who runs a children’s craft club. She’s got a nice bag full coming her way and I’m sure the kids will love what I’ve sent. The main point to all this was to sort out my clarity stamps. And boy do they look a lot neater and better now I’ve sorted them all out. So next week when I’m looking for something specific it should be easier for me to locate it.
    Have a lovely evening Barbara. Love and hugs.
    Xxxxxxxx

  12. Yes I’m one of those searching for a second magpie!!!! Love all the knowledge and the demo lovely piece of art, thank you x

  13. Sorry Barbara I don’t like Magpies or Crows or Pigeons. I used to have so many beautiful birds in the garden but these 3 species have frightened them away. I used to feed the birds but don’t anymore I’m afraid.

  14. I always say “good morning Mr magpie” and then look for a second. We have had a nesting pair near us and I love to watch them bring their offspring into our garden. I know when they are ready to mate as there is always oodles of moss strewn everywhere lol.

  15. I was told you had to salute if you saw a single magpie 🤷‍♀️….. I still do (although if someone is with me in the car I turn it into a head scratch 🤣)x

  16. Hi Barbara
    Always look for a second magpie very superstitious. If I see a lone one I salute him and the say hello Mr magpie where’s your wife.
    I think they are very majestic and mischievous creatures.
    Love Ruth and Jackie xx

  17. Dear Barbara
    Just been catching up on the blogs – your health and acceptance with words from my most favourite person, Doris Day…… It is good to read that you are on the mend and that the harsh reality of fall out of the illness and what it has left you with has been a shock but that you are accepting what it will mean to you. You have achieved so much in your life, you have led the stamping revolution from rubber to clear stamping, the use of the gel plate and this blog – I remember too clearly the workshop, which you delivered alone, with Dave in the kitchen cleaning the brayers, when you delivered the workshop alone as a colleague had been taken unwell overnight, and you said you wanted to get back to blogging and do something meaningful – well you did just that and some with your support all through the dark days of covid – providing a life line for so many who had no one else to keep them going – a massive achievement I say. Acceptance is hard, my own health now turned against me, and I struggle mentally with acceptance whilst my body is dictating my days – I mourn my lost health and find it hard to get past what I have lost and what that means rather than adapting to what is now and how I can still enjoy life – but I will get there …. eventually.
    Your list of birds in a flock is really interesting!!! I will try to retain those nuggets of information lol. I too prefer the more modern version of Magpie and can only ever sing the song from the TV programme of my youth…
    Art work as ever superb.
    Keep getting better whilst accepting the need to slow down.
    Take Care

    Kim x

  18. Crows, rooks (bare, light beaks), jackdaws, magpies, jays and ravens (enormous!) – all corvids. One saying – a crow on it’s own is a crow; a crow in a crowd is a rook! Tells you something about their habits. Jays are so pretty but very shy (unless it’s acorn season) but their calls are horrid. I like jackdaws the best, even their calls and especially in windy weather as they revel in it. Haven’t seen the magpie Groovi plates so will have to have a look! Looking forward to the shows this afternoon – will pass the time while I’m doing the ironing! Keep travelling gently Barbara xx

  19. We have a Murder of Crows living all around us so they are always in the garden plus lots of Magpies & Pigeons. On a daily basis I salute the single Magpie and say ‘Good Morning, Mr Magpie How’s your Wife and Children?’ I always feel relieved when there is more than one! We can have as many as 12 at once. – There is always some sort of squabbling going on between the Magpies & also the Crows. Then a Kite flies around overhead and then the Crows chase it in the sky which is fascinating to watch! – I do miss seeing all l the pretty birds in the new garden but I guess they keep well away! – The stencil looks like one to put on the list! x

  20. We have lots of magpies in Australia and have a lovely family in the gum tree out the front, to whom I always say hello to. There is nothing nicer in the morning waking up to hear them singing.
    It is such a unique sound.

  21. I really love that piece of art, I watched the video and as always learnt a lot. Love a gel plate.

    Used to live watching Magpie – used to enter all their art competitions. Remember getting a badge -cor was so excited, think I might have it somewhere.

    As for the bird itself I’m afraid I’m not a fan. They have caused a lot of damage in my garden. They tore my canvas gazebo cover to pieces and last year ate all my pears from my tree. I definitely have a mischief of magpies – so many they are a nuisance and frighten all the small native birds away. Tried everything to get rid. Also I hate that cackling sound!

    Rant over.

    Have a nice day and don’t forget to watch Paul from 3-5 today 🥰

  22. My Mum was a “sneezes” girl too. Hers went –
    One’s a wish, two’s a kiss,
    Three’s a disappointment.
    Four’s a letter, five something better
    And six your wish come true.
    I guess any more than six would be bed with a hot toddy! 😄xx

  23. MY SON SINCE BEING IN THE ARMY AND A NEWCASTLE FOOTBALL SUPPORTER WILL SALUTE A MAGPIE FOR LUCK WHEN HE SEES ONE. STUART WILL BE 42ON THE 9th OF MARCH
    TAKE CARE BARBARA XX

  24. We were at traffic lights on the slip road of motorway the other day. A crow was gathering nest material, had a mouth full of plastic. Just gets you wondering where they learnt to use plastic as nest lining. Just like a rats nest we once found (unfortunately the rat had been poisoned), that was all lined with plastic. Amazing.
    Thanks for the video heads up I have the magpie stencils. Going to have a go now. Hope your feeling stronger Barbara xx

  25. I hate Magpies! Don’t particularly like crows either. On a nicer note have you heard the group from my neck of the woods, they are called ” Those Damned Crows”. No relation but they are good. Hope you’re feeling better. x

  26. Hello Barb, a beautiful quote from Maya. Magpies can be a nuisance, especially on bin day, as can crows. I always look for the 2nd Magpie, and I agree with, I prefer the newer version. Love the art work too, really need to get some arty play time in. Take care and stay warm everyone. Bx

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