Magpies are really entertaining when they know they can trust you,
When we lived in Wembley Downs there was an extended family of maggies nesting in three of the trees around our place.
They used to preen the red cloud kelpie and labrador - collecting fur for their nests. The dogs loved the attention.
A few of them would march into the house if the verandah door was left open, and patrol the kitchen for the rolled oats that somehow managed to get spilt

One of the juveniles nicked a part roll of wool that my sister was using - and there was much squabbling over the 30 feet or so of wool as it was repeatedly re-stolen by each nest, until I chopped it up into bits for them.
The really funny bit was how the maggies used to mix with Dads racing pigeons when I let them out for an evening exercise flight - a couple of the maggies used to get caught up in the flock and end up going through the trap and into the loft, then Dad would come home to 5 or 6 rather sheepish maggies waiting to get out, with their families outside carrying on like pork chops.

stephen