"Derek Banks" wrote in message
...


Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:
Richard wrote in message ...

Help!!!!
A deterrent for pigeons please I have lost rows of brassicas after
netting then letting them see the air
Anyon any great ideas



We often found little piles of pigeon feathers in our garden and
thought it to be the work of the local fox community. Until that is one
damp sunday afternoon We were loafing in our back room reading when
there was quite a bang on the glass of the patio door. Pigeons and
Collared Doves used our TV mast as a perch and sheltered in our apple
tree or next door's conifers so it was not unusual to see them flapping
around. "Silly pigeon it's flown it's flown into the window" exclaimed
my wife. We got up to see a pigeon on the patio frantically heaving but
being firmly held down by what proved to a Sparrow Hawk. The force and
speed of the bird of prey hitting the window must with the pigeon must
ahve quite considerable
Upon seeing us at the window the Hawk took off, still holding the
pigeon, skimmimg down the garden a few yards to the shelter of a shrub.
There it continued to hold down the pigeon until all movement had
stopped. This took a few minuets, I guess the bird must have died from
either shock or asphyxiation. The Hawk then proceeded to eat until
just a few feathers remained. The whole event took about 45 mins or
so. We felt it hard luck for pigeon but also privildged to see
something so amazing.

We now notice less pigeons and doves in the garden than of old. So how
do you encourage Hawks into the natural course of things.

We live in surban Surrey but have quite a bit of open countruy around.
Pam and Derek Banks
Sparrow Hawks and peregrines 'work' our and neighbours' gardens in Devon.
Typically a raptor seems to reside for about 1 week then moves on. I
understand a pair of sparrow hawks have a territory of about 1 square mile.
They lurk in ambush and dash through branches to catch smaller birds up to
collared dove size. When a raptor is around we usually find a new heap of
pigeon feathers somewhere in the garden each day.
I've seen a several sparrow hawk attacks on smaller birds and all were
unsuccessful-and I guess the hawk moves around when the local population
becomes clued up. If the small birds spot the hawk in ambush position alarm
calls from blackbirds , finches and tits spread all around the garden and
continue until it moves away.
Collared doves are much more wary when a hawk has been around for a few
days.
Raptors need a prey population to survive-unlike cats.