Ravens Vs Magpies at North Table Mountain, Jefferson County

[Brian Johnson]

Yesterday I went for a walk up North Table Mountain, I had not been there before and got to add a Merlin toy my Jefferson County List along with a Horned lark, which in fact scampered out onto the trail in front of me, rather cooperative bird really. The most interesting thing however was when I was walking along the North Table Trail above the Coors Plant and got to watch a lone raven taken on some magpies. The raven drove away one magpie than went into a crevice along the mesa and for a second I was thinking it was going into a nest but before I finished that thought out poped anther magpie, with the raven in pursuit. Eventually the magpies, 8 in all, gathered up away from the raven. I was surprised they did not mob the raven together. I think the raven was driving them away from a potential nest site, but what ever it was, it was a rather fun thing to watch.
Brian
Englewood, Arapahoe CO