Magpie stealing eggs
For the third year in a row we have watched the blackbirds make their nests only for the local magpie to raid them.
This time we happened to scare it mid-theft and it left an untouched egg on the lawn which we returned to the nest. A couple of hours later Mrs blackbird is shrieking as the magpie is sitting in full view eating an egg.
This was the blackbirds' second attempt this year as their first nest was raided by the crows. They move trees every time, but the corvids know to look in our garden it seems.
Does anyone know of a way to help protect nests from predators? We tried putting some garden mesh over the top of the bush but it clearly wasn't big enough. I know the magpie needs to eat but it's so horrible seeing it happen again and again.