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Post by Chuckles on Nov 29, 2006 20:37:30 GMT
Anyone seen their Sparrow Hawk lately. Not seen mine for almost 2 weeks. After the last visit I have put a big Owl decoy on a broom handle and stuck it near where it had been swooping, seems to have worked and kept it away. Thought it might have put the Sparrows off but thankfully it hasn't.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2006 7:53:35 GMT
Not seen one in my garden since I stopped putting out my bird feeders in the summer.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Nov 30, 2006 15:17:42 GMT
Well, 'my' one continues to be active, supplied in a Sweeney Todd-like way by the two survivors who seem to lure stray homing pigeons back here...
This morning, by way of a change it had a woodpigeon on the lawn at the back of the house. I tried to get in position to photograph it for you but scared it off, and though I waited - well concealed - for a bit, it didn't come back, and still hasn't 6 hours later
It had hardly started on its breakfast, which begs the question: do they only eat very fresh, ie still throbbing, food?
Maybe it's just that there's no shortage...
OM.
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Dec 2, 2006 17:06:12 GMT
I haven't seen 'our' one since. Our wood pigeon and collared dove populations have been depleted significantly though. They used to scoff everything on the bird table so at least there's something left for the garden birds now, although their numbers appear to be shrinking too..so maybe Ms Sparrowhawk is still about!
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Post by oldmoleskins on Apr 19, 2007 8:04:52 GMT
Well, gang, it took some time, but the last of the 'original' pigeons has succumbed to the hawk... it was a male hawk, a little smaller than the pidge.
What's left now are three interlopers who hang around from time to time, but don't seem to live here.
Seems sensible!
OM. (blackedgeborderaroundthepostsmiley)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2007 15:46:44 GMT
What sad news OM  |
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Post by Chuckles on Apr 19, 2007 22:37:54 GMT
Very sad day OM. Nature is sooooo cruel sometimes but wonderful the rest of the time. I have a pair of pigeons and a pair of Doves that come into the trees in my garden. The Doves come onto the lawn a peck about and the Pigeons nested in one of the Lime trees last year. We had a couple of visits from a Hawk back end of last year, thankfully I never saw it catch anything.
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 7, 2007 11:51:48 GMT
I'm attempting to lure the surviving pigeons (dunno why, they're not even 'mine' - theyre interlopers) over to the abandoned main pigeonloft in an outbuilding by placing two decoy pigeons at the entrance (having dismantled the cage contraption that racers use to log the returning birds) The bird on the ridge is a sparrowhawk. He (it's small, so it's a 'he') is quietly fuming 'cos the rubber pigeon below him refuses to die...  |
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Post by Plocket on May 8, 2007 13:13:47 GMT
Where did you get the rubber pigeons from? We've got a racing pigeon visiting us at the moment so I hope the local BOPs don't take him out |
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 8, 2007 16:43:31 GMT
They're decoy pigeons, P., for woodpigeon shooting, borrowed from a local gamekeeper - usually used to lure a pidge into range, but on this occasion for benign luring into lovely new quarters. There's nestboxes and everything they could want in there.
Day 4... doesn't seem to be working.
OM.
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Post by Spruance on May 8, 2007 16:47:22 GMT
Given that the pigeons seem oblivious of the threat posed by the sparrowhawk OM, why not target the more intelligent of the two species, and have a decoy bird of prey instead?
Something like a buzzard perhaps, i.e. next size up. You don't want to go for the golden eagle just yet, that would be overkill! ;D
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Post by Plocket on May 8, 2007 18:04:32 GMT
I thought OM WANTED overkill???  |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 5, 2007 9:14:30 GMT
Sole Survivor Mum has now presented these 'breakfasts' for the first time (mum at the back):  Thought I'd share it with you as they say a trouble shared is a trouble halved... OM. |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 8, 2007 20:56:39 GMT
Nice pic OM. The one with lots of white on it's head look really cute. Did you not manage to tempt any into the lovely new quarters  |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 9, 2007 7:16:26 GMT
No, they never did take up my invitation... and I'm sorry to say, Chuckles, 'your' pigeon has already succumbed to The Great Food Chain In The Sky...
OM
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 9, 2007 8:45:24 GMT
This is a difficult one for me, and, as I've spotted a sparrowhawk near the hose recently, one I may have to experience sometime soon. I tend to grit my teeth now when I see nature in the raw. The Sparrowhawk has to eat, and feed its chicks too, so , as there is no difference in its eyes between a mouse, a sparrow or a pigeon, I'd have to vote with nature taking its course. But if I were in your situation, OM, I'd be miserable.  |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 9, 2007 21:39:41 GMT
Oh no poor thing didn't get much of a life then |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Nov 15, 2007 9:21:57 GMT
OM Acres is finally to be a declared Racing Pigeon Free Zone... I last saw a pidge pursued by a male sparrowhawk about 10 days ago (flew low across the back garden, 'hedgehopped' the wall, heading for the woods).
No sign of roosting birds in the stable, just their legacy of beantrenchenriching guano...
OM.
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Post by nightowl on Nov 15, 2007 9:29:33 GMT
Maybe now they'll start on the accursed Wood Pigeons OM! |
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Post by Tig on Nov 15, 2007 9:34:08 GMT
I love it when you 'reactivate' these older threads - interesting reading - but I'm not sure what I would have done in your shoes OM  |
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Post by flowersfriend on Nov 15, 2007 14:49:42 GMT
Nature is master as far as I'm concerned.... hope our votes help with your problem....
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