Magpie numbers

[smartie]

The general view seems to be that magpie numbers are still on the increase. However, seeing one in my garden today has reminded me that I have in fact seen relatively few this year, compared with the last several years, when we frequently had four or five of them at a time in our garden or the neighbours'. May just be a local thing, but has anyone else noticed a change in numbers?

[nightshade]

I had many magpies over the last couple of years but suprisingly there are
very few around at the moment,I have no doubt that this will change as
Autumn approaches

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

The BTO say that there is a big increase on Magpie numbers in the UK i like magpies

[honeybee]

Have definitely noticed LESS in our area. Have occassional one in garden. Saw quite a lot this time last year.

[Barbara]

I have noticed an increase this year but then there is more food on offer in my garden, about ten minutes ago I counted eight magpies in the garden at the same time.

[honeybee]

They must be moving to the sunny north then (as my yorkshire other half calls it)

[aeshna5]

Numbers seem fairly static around my way- there's certainly no increase + there are plenty of small birds too!

[jennyb]

Interesting. I was going to start a thread about magpie numbers myself. I have seen a lot of magpies in the last couple of weeks - many more than normal. I thought there were so many because maybe the youngsters had hatched but not gone their separate ways yet.

Jenny

[Wild-Woman]

I'd say the numbers were static around here. They're just cleverer. They hide things in all sorts of places. My laundry basket was upside down on th lawn and I watched one posting things through the holes.The bits were bread from a neighbours garden. ww

[FungiJohn]

Not noticed any difference here, but Sheffield does have a large magpie population at any time.

Reminds me :
We once had a local cheeky magpie, which used to try (and succeed on several occasions) steal the bus fares from people's hands at a busy bus stop!