When you see a Magpie, what do you do?

[FavouriteMug]

Going by the reactions of my friends, choices seem to be broadly split as follows:

A. Stop whatever you are doing/saying IMMEDIATELY to utter some weirdy salutation stating with the words 'Good Morning Mr Magpie', even though it's 4.30 in the afternoon. After which your friends are permitted to resume the conversation again.

B. Deftly perform some sort of ritual involving 3 salutes and a tug on your collar without breaking conversation and still managing to keep one hand in the steering wheel/pouring hot water into a mug etc.

C. Absolutely nothing, because it's just a sodding bird and why would you?

I'm C - I think I'm the only one who is and that the world has truly gone mad

I salute the magpie! Only once though.

Do look out for another one though

A lone magpie I always say 'hi Mr Magpie, how's Mrs magpie and all the other little magpies

Shit myself

Hello Mr Magpie how's the wife and kids?
Or desperately look for another. With a big salute.

If I'm in a work situation where that might be embarrassing I try and salute in a sly way and mumble the rhyme.

I CANNOT not say it!

Search frantically for the second one 🤣 absolutely ridiculous I know but I can’t help it

Wtf is all this about?!

I salute it and say 'good morning sergeant major' - no idea why sergeant major!!

Hello Mr. Magpie, how's your lady wife?

Then a Salut 😆

If there's more than one then I recite the whole thing.. 1 for sorrow, 2 for jou, 3 for a girl, 4 for a boy, 5 for silver, 6 for gold, 7 for a secret never to be told, 8 for a wish, 9 for a kiss and 10 for a bird that you cannot miss!! 😅

"Morning Mr Magpie. How's your family." DH says "Where's your mother Mr Magpie"

Hello mr Magpie, how's the wife.

@OhYeahyeahyeah

We always sing 10 for a night that will end in bliss!
So I think my family is much more dirty minded

And salute him

If there is only one I look away and look at it again and pretend it's a different one and I saw 2. 3 or 4 and I just say pah (infertility issues)

If I'm alone and out of earshot, I'll say "Good morning Mr Magpie, how's your wife and family?"

If I want to be more discreet, I just blow a quick kiss in its direction. I know it's daft, but I think a lot of joy in life comes from these meaningless little rituals

Usually if I'm in public then in my head I say Good Morning / Afternoon Mr Magpie where's the wife and children? (if only one magpie) if more than one magpie I also include them and I do an imaginary salute and also do the rhyme.

C.
I'm not sure I'd even know it was a magpie.

@HerRoyalRisesAgain haha I much prefer your version!

I salute and blow it three kisses like the absolute knob that I am

If I see one magpie I say touch black send it back and find something black to touch. No idea where this came from, tell me I am not the only one!

Gosh I have 5 magpies that visit my garden every day,I enjoy seeing them.

Touch green never seen

C

A: I say a salutation - my local form of words is: 'How do you do your lordship, where is her ladyship?'
And the salutation should end with a spit, but I do a token 'pah' sort of noise instead

I always always say hello Mr Maggpie, hows your wife and then if I see a second one I say, hello Mrs Magpie

C. They’re quite attractive birds but not my favourite corvids, I prefer crows and jays. Seems weird to me to be superstitious about such a common bird.