Visiting Mr. Ripley

Does anyone remember that program Ripley's Believe it or Not? 

Anyway, we have been feeding magpies for as long as I can remember - certainly at least 20 years.  Australian magpies are very long-lived, and the same family comes to us, day in day out, week in week out, year in year out. 

They all have their personalities, but none more so than one of this year's brood.  I call it Sooty. 

So, when I go out onto the back deck, I say, Where's my Sooty.  And it flies down from just above my head, picks up a gob full of mince and carries it around the corner to devour in peace.

Two days ago it caught a mouse and I'll swear brought it up to the deck to show me, before flying off triumphant.

Today - and here's the proof positive.  The bird flew onto the roof, with a leaf in it's beak.  And dropped it right onto my head.  It brought me a present.

Believe it or believe it not, that's what happened.  And here's the leaf.  It's not even from our garden.