This is one of a pair of Mistle Thrushes nesting in a very old Horse-Chestnut tree in a village a few miles down the road from me. I spotted this one on a telegraph wire and stopped to take a few pictures. It was a very warm day in May and the bird had ruffled up its feathers to cool itself down a bit. It was then that the other bird, sitting on the nest concealed in the tree, started kicking up a real fuss with the arrival of a pair of Magpies. This caused our sunbathing friend to come very quickly to a full DEFCON 5 state of alertness! True to form, the Magpies immediately set about intimidating the nesting Thrush. However, the usual ploy of “you get her to chase you while I nick the young!” failed to materialize….The Thrush on the wire suddenly dive-bombed one Magpie from above and behind (coming out of the sun!), taking it completely by surprise! At the same moment this happened, the female flew straight into the face of the main aggressor! The Thrushes “rattled” their anger as only Mistle Thrushes can and both Magpies fled to a small copse some hundred metres away to lick their pride! Mistle Thrushes are our largest Thrush and can be very aggressive….as both Maggies found out to their cost this time!