On 2013-09-27 11:15:01 +0100, Jake said:

On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:30:58 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:57:35 +0100, sacha wrote:

On 2013-09-26 18:00:38 +0000, Jeff Layman said:

An absolute plague of them this year. I don't have too much concern
what the leatherjackets might do to the lawn, but does anyone have any
experience of leatherjacket damage in borders or pots?

It's quite strange because we've seen two craneflies and our jackdaw
population has dropped dramatically.

Our jackdaw population has risen dramatically, but all our many
magpies have disappeared.

Have only seen a couple of crane flies this year, nothing like the
usual numbers.

After last year's magpie "explosion" the neighbouring farmer has been
culling this year and I haven't seen more than 2 together at any time
Last year a dozen or more would arrive in the garden together and kill
other birds, apparently for sport as the bodies were left lying where
they fell. It's a lot quieter too!

We rarely see magpies in the garden, possibly because we have a
rookery. But if seen, they're shot. And farmers here shoot them and our
rooks, unfortunately! Yesterday I saw a rather dishevelled young
buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole and Ray thinks it's the one
he'd seen earlier, being mobbed by the rooks!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk