Could you clarify on magpies please?

[hobbgoblin]

You know it's bad luck if you see one magpie but good if you see two and if you see three or more you get to find out the gender of your next child ..?

Right, well, could someone please clarify whether to make it a sighting of two magpies it has to be at that very instant?

Do you have to see them with both eyes at the same time or does it count if you look around for another one without moving? If you drive along a bit and see another one within 5 seconds, does that count as two?

TIA

I am sure that technically Magpieism is a cult rather than a religion Grockle.

In my family (well me) I say Good Morning Mr Magpie how do you do, I never ask after his wife so guess that makes me rude

I vaguely remember that as a child I was taught by my grandmother that if you only saw one Magpie at a time , you couldn't speak until you saw a four legged animal. This could have been her way of keeping me quiet I suppose

We say " Good morning Mr Magpie how's your wife and children." (i added the children bit while grown up - not sure who told me that version).

I always wonder whether it is ok to see a lone Magpie in the afternoon.

I say 'morning captain!'

The song on Magpie from the 70's went

1 for sorrow
2 for joy
3 for a girl
4 for a boy
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told

.....'Ma-a-a-ag-pie!' (preferred Blue Peter myself, in the golden age of Singleton, Noakes, Purves and Shep )

I saw a group of 7 magpies the other day. Still trying to work out the 'secret never to be told'!

Oh, well let us know when you figure it out

And:
8's a wish
9's a kiss
and 10 is a bird you just can't miss
MAAAGPIEEEE

If you see one, you are allowed to look around as long as you don't blink so they all count as one sighting. If you don't manage to see another one, you must salute and say "Good morning Mr Magpie, How's your wife and family?"

Or you die.