Generations of our family have been 'saluting' magpies: from great-grandmother to grandmother to mother and now to child, the superstition has been passed on.

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Naturally my children have asked me why I salute magpies and I have had to explain why and then feel a bit silly. Saluting magpies doesn't make any difference at all, of course! In the springtime you will probably only see one magpie at a time because one will be minding the eggs in the nest while the other goes out to find food.

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In the autumn, you will see many magpies out together as the younger ones join their parents and enjoy the last of the warm days gathering in berries and food for the winter ahead.