Magpies.

Magpies, or Piping Shrikes, as they more correctly should be called, are nesting near our home. They are a small to medium sized, black & white bird.They nest in the same place each year, providing it has not been destroyed. They can be extremely territorial and swoop anything or anyone they see as a threat. There is a large Gum tree,(Eucalyptus) in the garden across the street & for the past few weeks the male (I think) has been gathering material for the nest. I have two hanging baskets which have thatch type linings. He has been desamating one of them for his nest. He flies in and slams into the window.He either, misjudges the distance, or he sees his reflection in the glass and perceives it as another bird. Then tugs a beakful of the stuff and flies away. He does this three or four times a day. He has been known to swoop my cat and terroise her, too. I think the nesting process has finished, as I have not heard or seen him for a few days now.He is not the least bit afraid of humans, as he sits in my Ficafolia (gum tree) and squawks at me, & he is only two or three feet away. I am dreading the time the eggs hatch, as he swooped me several times last year, & I was in my own yard!