Magpie-larks

The GP sent Pisces for a scan yesterday. As COVID restrictions meant I couldn't wait for him in the building I stayed in the car with a book. I'd been sitting there for a while when I heard loud noises from the roof. We'd parked under a tree so my initial thought was something was falling from there. Then I saw this handsome fellow through the windscreen. The picture would have been better if I hadn't been afraid he would fly off and had waited until the car in the background had gone. But, hey, it's better than nothing. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 This is a magpie-lark otherwise known as a mudlark, peewee or peewit, proper name Grallina cyanoleuca.  They're very common over much of the country and not at all shy. They pair for life and it's not unusual for the males to attack their reflections in car side mirrors or windows as they are strongly territorial. You can tell this one is a male because of his black head and white eyebrow while the female has a white face and no marked eyebrow. 

The noises went on and when I got out to look his mate was up there pecking at the bases of the roof rack. With the roof of the car an area of mystery that I never visit I assume she was after spiders those being the only creatures I can imagine would set up home there. She was not all fazed by my attempts to get her to move on while he pottered around on the hood investigating the slots near the windscreen. The noise was irritating and as they do have a bad habit of pooping on cars I banged on the car windows for a while and eventually they decided enough was enough and flew off. It was an interesting interlude, though.