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Flashheart

« Reply #210 on: Thursday, February 4, 2021, 14:54:29 »

There is some sort of bird shredding a pigeon to bits in our garden. Looks like a female sparrowhawk.

Get a photo then
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« Reply #211 on: Thursday, February 4, 2021, 14:54:55 »

yeah,  almost certainly a sparrowhawk.

isn't nature great

until you get to deal with the aftermath!
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horlock07

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« Reply #212 on: Thursday, February 4, 2021, 15:03:28 »

Will be a sparrowhawk, they have a habit of doing it in our front garden, lost count of the number of times I have had to distract the little one when walking from door to road on the school run to distract her from the carnage being reaped next to the hedge!

On a similar vein we appear to have gained a sodding owl, noisy little bugger going on in the garden all bloody night!
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TheDukeOfBanbury

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« Reply #213 on: Thursday, February 4, 2021, 19:11:46 »

Will be a sparrowhawk, they have a habit of doing it in our front garden, lost count of the number of times I have had to distract the little one when walking from door to road on the school run to distract her from the carnage being reaped next to the hedge!

On a similar vein we appear to have gained a sodding owl, noisy little bugger going on in the garden all bloody night!

The Male Sparrowhawk is remarkably smaller and will generally take smaller birds.
The Female will take the Wood Pigeons and distinctive by its yellow claws and striped plumage, light grey in colour.
The Male bird has a lovely colouring.

Just put another owl box up during the Christmas holidays.
The Tit boxes are being inspected which marks Spring is well and truly on the way.
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« Reply #214 on: Thursday, February 4, 2021, 19:22:16 »

yeah,  almost certainly a sparrowhawk.

isn't nature great

until you get to deal with the aftermath!

I found a dead pigeon in a water butt in my garden a few years ago. It had talon wounds on it's back. I had to fish it out and bin it.
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Bob's Orange
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« Reply #215 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 11:04:34 »

This thread seems a good place as any to post a couple of queries regarding garden species.

As with all birds I love having them in the garden and always make sure the bird feeders are kept topped up. On Sunday whilst I was enjoying a beer on our lawn a friendly little robin kept landing on the table before flying away. They are such lovely birds. What aren't lovely birds are pigeons, and we have an abundance of the greedy bastards waiting to pounce on any seed that comes out of the feeders. They also create awful messy shite over the garden. Is there any way of discouraging pigeons or am I going to have to just accept they are part of the bird family?

Secondly, our conservatory appears to be a place where wasps seem to love to 'chill out'. Almost every day when we sit down there is at least one of the little buggers flying repeatedly into window panes. Any suggestions of how to stop these fucking things getting in? (I a am fully aware I could sit with the door and windows closed but it gets very warm when the sun is out!!)
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« Reply #216 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 11:18:28 »

This thread seems a good place as any to post a couple of queries regarding garden species.

As with all birds I love having them in the garden and always make sure the bird feeders are kept topped up. On Sunday whilst I was enjoying a beer on our lawn a friendly little robin kept landing on the table before flying away. They are such lovely birds. What aren't lovely birds are pigeons, and we have an abundance of the greedy bastards waiting to pounce on any seed that comes out of the feeders. They also create awful messy shite over the garden. Is there any way of discouraging pigeons or am I going to have to just accept they are part of the bird family?

Secondly, our conservatory appears to be a place where wasps seem to love to 'chill out'. Almost every day when we sit down there is at least one of the little buggers flying repeatedly into window panes. Any suggestions of how to stop these fucking things getting in? (I a am fully aware I could sit with the door and windows closed but it gets very warm when the sun is out!!)

Oooo hark and you with your garden and conservatory...  Wink Girl Giggle

In answer to your questions;

Robins are aggro little bastards!
With pigeons I have seen suggestions previously that a model sparrowhawk of similar might discourage them, plus coincidentally this thing popped up on Facebook the other day, no idea if it works or what not https://pigeon-deterrent.co.uk/ thankfully we don't seem to get pigeons out here in the sticks, its mainly your more upper class (and noisy) Collared Dove.
No idea about wasps, they seem to be one of the creatures of the world with no real purpose and one has to tolerate the wankers! 
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Flashheart

« Reply #217 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 11:34:12 »

Wasps are very misunderstood creatures.

They are very helpful indeed. They prey on so many of the pests we try to get rid of and farmers will sometimes have colonies shipped in to help protect their crops. They are also important pollinators. They're not really interested in stinging you because doing so is extremely dangerous for them. They'd much rather just mind their own business and spend their days doing what wasps love to do.

So there!
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Bogus Dave
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« Reply #218 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 11:35:24 »

Wasps are aggy little cunts
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« Reply #219 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 11:37:27 »

They'd much rather just mind their own business and spend their days doing what wasps love to do.

Unless of course you have a fizzy drink in which case woe betide you.
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Bob's Orange
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« Reply #220 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 11:57:39 »

Wasps are very misunderstood creatures.

They are very helpful indeed. They prey on so many of the pests we try to get rid of and farmers will sometimes have colonies shipped in to help protect their crops. They are also important pollinators. They're not really interested in stinging you because doing so is extremely dangerous for them. They'd much rather just mind their own business and spend their days doing what wasps love to do.

So there!

I did actually read that about wasps and I have no interest in killing them as I know they are useful for getting rid of insects in the garden. I just don't want them going mental anywhere near me in the house. Whilst I'm sure what you say about wasps not being interested in stinging me is probably true. I'd rather not take the chance if possible!
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we've been to Aberdeen, we hate the Hibs, they make us spew up, so make some noise,
the gorgie boys, for Hearts in Europe.
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« Reply #221 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:05:00 »

Secondly, our conservatory appears to be a place where wasps seem to love to 'chill out'. Almost every day when we sit down there is at least one of the little buggers flying repeatedly into window panes. Any suggestions of how to stop these fucking things getting in? (I a am fully aware I could sit with the door and windows closed but it gets very warm when the sun is out!!)
Probably not what you're after on aesthetic grounds but we put these over the top windows in the lads' rooms for precisely the same reason and they work a treat (not sure if this is the exact one as the missus bought them, but they're along the same lines)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-Window-Insect-Screen-Mesh-Net-Fly-Bug-Mosquito-Moth-Door-Netting-Net-Cover/154372501625?hash=item23f1517079:g:bOsAAOSwqHNgTxm7&var=454443289557
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horlock07

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« Reply #222 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:07:02 »

I did actually read that about wasps and I have no interest in killing them as I know they are useful for getting rid of insects in the garden. I just don't want them going mental anywhere near me in the house. Whilst I'm sure what you say about wasps not being interested in stinging me is probably true. I'd rather not take the chance if possible!

A quick google threw up the Waspinator? https://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Garden-Essentials-1/Pest-and-Disease-Control/Wapinator-Wasp-Deterrent.html

Other options are to put mesh screens over the windows when you open them.
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« Reply #223 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:21:21 »

I also have pigeons in my garden eating all the food. I don't mind though as they seem to give other birds confidence to come and feed too. I'd struggled to get anything in my garden with hanging fatballs/seed feeders. I bought a bird table last week and that's changed now. Still don't get a great variety of birds but at least I'm getting some now (pigeons,starlings,jackdaws). The pigeons are messy but I can cope with that and hope to get more variety of birds over the next few weeks/months
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« Reply #224 on: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:22:55 »

Seen any rats yet arriba?  Smiley
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