Maggie the magpie returns to rule the roost
By DAVID WILKES
9th March 2007
Maggie has now returned to Newton Regis, Warwickshire
One of the posters (top), and Rhona Oxford, who owned up to her birdnapping antics
When it came to popularity, Maggie the magpie was top of the pecking order in Newton Regis.
Every day she visited the village school, where delighted pupils fed her crusts by hand and giggled when she landed on their heads.
She was also a welcome guest at the pensioners' weekly coffee mornings and even stood on the touchline at Sunday league football matches.
But one resident of the Warwickshire village was less enamoured of Maggie after she conformed to the larcenous reputation of her species.
Rhona Oxford, 64, spotted the tame bird trying to escape through her lace curtains with a 2p coin in her beak. Angered by Maggie's audacity, Mrs Oxford caught her, put her in a box and drove deep into the countryside, where she released her.
Mrs Oxford, a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, kept quiet about her actions as consternation grew in the village about Maggie's mysterious disappearance.
Tearful children put up "Missing" posters appealing for help in tracing the bird and wrote poems expressing their sadness at her departure.
Meanwhile, as rumours spread through the village about what had happened, school dinner lady Roz Afford heard that Maggie had been spotted several miles away in Shuttington and received a tip-off about Mrs Oxford's involvement.
Miss Afford then led an angry delegation which confronted Mrs Oxford about their suspicions. Yesterday, Miss Afford, 51, said: "She confessed. She said she didn't want the bird in her house. She said Maggie took 2p. I said, "I'll give you 2p if you are that bothered"."
Mrs Oxford, who lives near the village school, said: "I am just sorry I upset so many people. I have apologised profusely. I explained to the ladies who questioned me that I am a member of the RSPB and I have been for over 20 years. I love birds. I travel the country visiting RSPB reserves. I have raised funds for the RSPB."
Mrs Oxford said she used to feed Maggie but the bird got too friendly.
"I like to have my windows open but I had to close them to keep her out,' she said. She collects 2p coins for charity box collections and leaves them on a window ledge inside her home.
She finally lost patience when Maggie slipped in through an open window and could not resist the temptation of taking one of the coins. Mrs Oxford said: "I was gobsmacked when it tried to get out through the lace curtains."
Maggie was missing for seven days, but has now returned to the village, to the delight of the local children. Elliot Smith, ten, said: "I am happy and surprised that Maggie has come back. She is very intelligent finding her way home."
dailymail.co.uk
By DAVID WILKES
9th March 2007
Maggie has now returned to Newton Regis, Warwickshire
One of the posters (top), and Rhona Oxford, who owned up to her birdnapping antics
When it came to popularity, Maggie the magpie was top of the pecking order in Newton Regis.
Every day she visited the village school, where delighted pupils fed her crusts by hand and giggled when she landed on their heads.
She was also a welcome guest at the pensioners' weekly coffee mornings and even stood on the touchline at Sunday league football matches.
But one resident of the Warwickshire village was less enamoured of Maggie after she conformed to the larcenous reputation of her species.
Rhona Oxford, 64, spotted the tame bird trying to escape through her lace curtains with a 2p coin in her beak. Angered by Maggie's audacity, Mrs Oxford caught her, put her in a box and drove deep into the countryside, where she released her.
Mrs Oxford, a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, kept quiet about her actions as consternation grew in the village about Maggie's mysterious disappearance.
Tearful children put up "Missing" posters appealing for help in tracing the bird and wrote poems expressing their sadness at her departure.
Meanwhile, as rumours spread through the village about what had happened, school dinner lady Roz Afford heard that Maggie had been spotted several miles away in Shuttington and received a tip-off about Mrs Oxford's involvement.
Miss Afford then led an angry delegation which confronted Mrs Oxford about their suspicions. Yesterday, Miss Afford, 51, said: "She confessed. She said she didn't want the bird in her house. She said Maggie took 2p. I said, "I'll give you 2p if you are that bothered"."
Mrs Oxford, who lives near the village school, said: "I am just sorry I upset so many people. I have apologised profusely. I explained to the ladies who questioned me that I am a member of the RSPB and I have been for over 20 years. I love birds. I travel the country visiting RSPB reserves. I have raised funds for the RSPB."
Mrs Oxford said she used to feed Maggie but the bird got too friendly.
"I like to have my windows open but I had to close them to keep her out,' she said. She collects 2p coins for charity box collections and leaves them on a window ledge inside her home.
She finally lost patience when Maggie slipped in through an open window and could not resist the temptation of taking one of the coins. Mrs Oxford said: "I was gobsmacked when it tried to get out through the lace curtains."
Maggie was missing for seven days, but has now returned to the village, to the delight of the local children. Elliot Smith, ten, said: "I am happy and surprised that Maggie has come back. She is very intelligent finding her way home."
dailymail.co.uk
