Mabh Savage
Words and the world passing by; how it sings to me; how I clamour back.
A Bird a Day: Sandhill Cranes
Content warning for extreme bird noise, but if you can handle that, please go check out this video from killerchickadee on Tumblr. It’s incredible!
A Bird a Day: Magpie. And My Book is Out!
If you pre-ordered The Magic of Birds, it should be winging its way to you right now. Yes, I realise that’s a terrible pun and I’m not sorry.
For everyone else, the book is officially available at all good UK bookshops and retail outlets, including Bookshop.org which generates profits for local bookshops.
Today’s bird will be the magpie, specifically a quick snippet from the book on this corvid’s associations with wealth. As many of you will know, being a niche author is not a way to make millions, so the magpie for me, today, is a reminder that this book is a labour of love, and definitely not about the money!
Image shows a magpie in flight against a blue sky; photo by Joseph Sharp on Unsplash
From The Magic of Birds:
Magpies have a notorious reputation for being attracted to shiny objects, as do many other corvids. The idea that magpies are thieves actually comes from a nineteenth-century French play, although magpies are naturally inquisitive. This idea of the magpie yearning for trinkets is so deeply rooted in our collective subconsciousness that it’s still a powerful tool for magic or visualisation. Meditating on the magpie or including foraged feathers on your altar or in your ritual space can be useful in magic to attract wealth or prosperity. Be aware of the temptation towards greed and obsession though, as these are also aspects of the magpie. Careful accumulation of necessary wealth is not the same as avarice.
A Bird a Day: Pink-Necked Green Pigeon
Image shows a pigeon with an orange breast, pink neck, and green wings, with the caption, “When you feed the pigeons skittles instead of bread.”
Funny meme about this colourful bird, which is actually a pink-necked green pigeon, Treron vernans, a male, and they’re supposed to look like this.
It should go without saying that you shouldn’t feed any bird skittles or, ideally, bread. Some lovely birdseed is much more appreciated, or for this rainbow-looking creature, some juicy fruit like a fig.
The Magic of Birds, out 9th December, pre-orders shipping now!
A Bird a Day: Jackdaw
Short snippet of my book, pre-editing, about jackdaws. They’re one of my favourite corvids, and we have so many around our homes they’ve even nested in our roof before!
Jackdaws are relatively small; one of the smallest UK corvids, similar in size to the colourful and noisy jay.
Like many small but successful animals, they show us that size isn’t everything! If you are feeling inadequate, lacking in strength, or swept uncontrollably by a tide of events, take a lesson from the jackdaw.
It is small, but it perseveres. It looks to its family and friends for help. It communicates, often loudly, and does not stand alone. These are all helpful reminders that we are not islands, and reaching out for assistance can sometimes be the best course of action.
Remember to speak up for what you believe in, and when your voice is not heard, join your voice with that of others who share your beliefs. Strength in numbers is the jackdaw motto!
The Magic of Birds, out 9th December
A Bird a Day: Gooseing Around
My new book is out on the 9th December, and as a sneak peek, you can watch my launch video on the Moon Books YouTube and Facebook page tomorrow, the 7th December, at 6pm.
For today’s bird, belatedly for the 5th, I know it’s only an ad, but how cute are these?!? We play Untitled Goose Game and these are perfect for gentle goose terrorism.
Put them on my Solstice list!
The Magic of Birds, out 9th December.
Bird a Day: The Wren
On the 4th of December, I had a no good, very bad afternoon. My child’s school took some actions against my child that were wildly inappropriate in line with my child’s disabilities and now that’s started a whole line of complaint, legal proceedings, and actions that are exhausting, anxiety inducing, and painful.
All I want is for my child to get the education they’re legally entitled to, and the SEND support that’s been agreed.
But there are times when I feel like a little bird in a big sky; a tiny creature fighting against the big behemoths who rule everything.
Enter the Wren.
Image by Kay Savage, copyright 2025, do not repost/distribute without permission.
The Wren is the king of birds. It pounced upon the eagle’s back. It soared higher than anybody, because it knew what to do. It saw opportunities. It used its intellect. It was not held back by its own perceptions about its size or strength.
Dear bird spirits, may I be as bold, as loud, and as determined as the Wren.
A Bird a Day: Terrifying Birds
What’s the scariest bird? The mystical raven? A great, ravenous eagle? The prey-impaling shrike? Wrong!
The most terrifying bird is, objectively, the shoebill stork.
Just…
Just look at it.
Add the fact that they can appear absolutely statue like until disturbed and that’s a deeply unsettling creature. Although despite their size and appearance, they’re not overly aggressive and are considered quite sensitive, especially in reaction to human incursions.
Still, that’s an intense looking bird. Oh and they can grow to five feet tall (approx 152cm).
A real testament to their ancestral dinosaurs.
The Magic of Birds, out 9th December
A Bird a Day: Curlew
Belatedly for the 2nd December and second day of my Bird Advent: A sneak peek at a bird folklore article I’ve written for the upcoming edition of Moonscape magazine…
Text in the image reads:
The tale of the Seven Whistlers tells of seven birds who flew at night, frightening sailors, miners, and others who worked in hazardous occupations with their mournful cries. While the myth states that the voices are of cursed men, trapped by a whirlwind or other disaster and doomed to whistle forever, the organization Curlew Action posits that the myth stems from the nighttime calls of curlews, flying overhead, unseen.
Have you ever heard curlews in the night?
The Magic of Birds, out 9th December
Bird Advent: A Bird A Day in December
Many of you may know that I have a new book coming out, The Magic of Birds, just in time for the holiday season (not my choice but it does make a lovely gift, hint hint!). With that in mind, I’m going to try and post A Bird A Day, or a bird-related post for every day in December.
Will I succeed? I mean, it’s already the 4th, so, you know, it’s going great so far…
Anyway, for the 1st December, which was a few days ago, ahem, may I present the following snippet for your consideration:
Found in the (internet) wild. Crows can, apparently, learn to imitate other animals to trick humans into feeding them!
The Magic of Birds, out 9th December
2024, Blowing Itself Out
We sit in the living room and listen to the wind and rain, each drop a fat slap on the box window, like being in a large tent or some sort of shopping container — slap, slap, slap while the trees bend impossibly far.
Though the Solstice has passed and the days are lengthening night still looms, evening drawing painfully close even at three thirty in the afternoon, the gloom thickened by the weather.
We talked, just recently, about New Year Traditions; first footing, the dark-haired caller across the threshold bringing wealth, sustenance, and luck. Part of this was that something had to come in the front door and exit through the back, whether that was a guest or the wind — blowing through the house, blowing out the old year and calling in the new.
With this gale, it’s like the year is blowing itself out. Looking at the months gone by and saying, enough, enough, enough. Nothing is permanent. Everything is movable, changeable, transformative — with a big enough push.
I listen to the wind, and even though there is aggravation — yeah, it set my car alarm off a few times today, it was that rough — I feel hope. There’s always a chance for change, especially when there’s enough force in the right direction.
Wishing you the change you need in your life in 2025.
Mabh Savage 