From: "Mike"
Subject: Bird Seed Feeder
Date: 29 November 2005 10:44

Mike do you have any peanut hangers in your garden? We have two and that
attracts the Bluetits and Greenfinches. They also go through the wire
netting to get to the birdseed. With regards Collared Doves and Pigeons, I
don't encourage them at all, a couple of near neighbours put stuff out and
they swoop in there. Statlings attack a fat seed ball I have up and anything
which goes on the ground, such as aload of Pitta Bread which has been in the
freezer for yonks and was taking up space.

Deter the Doves and Pigeons and the tits and finches will turn up.

Do you deter the cat population? They must be removed and allow the birds to
use your garden

Mike

---
Yes Mike, I have two peanut containers, a wire mesh type and a clear plastic
long tube type, and one lantern style bird seed feeder. As luck would have
it, after posting my last message, I spotted a blue and a coal tit on one of
the feeders. The biggest threat to all our smaller birds is a female
sparrowhawk whose diet thank goodness, mainly consists of collared doves
and house sparrows.
Perhaps I should be posting my messages to uk.rec.birdwatching!

Mike (Roscoe)

---
Yes Mike, I have two peanut containers, a wire mesh type and a clear
plastic
long tube type, and one lantern style bird seed feeder.

Mine are 'Apple shaped' and 'Pear shaped' (would take a photo and post it
but it seems a bit dark outside:-))

As luck would have
it, after posting my last message, I spotted a blue and a coal tit on one
of
the feeders.

:-)) great isn't it??

The biggest threat to all our smaller birds is a female
sparrowhawk whose diet thank goodness, mainly consists of collared doves
and house sparrows.

Collared Doves!! That quite amazes me. Sparrows yes but wow that's a big
bird to take. My neighbour gets most annoyed because the Sparrows go into
her hedge and the Sparrow Hawk struts up and down the path waiting for a
birds to come out. She goes out and shoos it off. Trouble is she works part
time and is therefore not always there :-((

Perhaps I should be posting my messages to uk.rec.birdwatching!

No I don't think so. This is a gardening newsgroup and part of gardening is
'nature' and that includes slugs, snail, worms, weeds and of course birds.
The uk.rec.birdwatching newsgroup is really for the serious twitcher and
whilst this newsgroup, or some members :-( talk down to those just entering
gardening and know nothing, uk.rec.birdwatching does tend to do the same
:-((

Stay here and hold your own :-))

Had a Pied Wagtail on the path yesterday. First again :-))

and in case you think I have been at it for years, bird watching that is,
no, this last Summer and up to now :-))

Mike
The truth will prevail

"Mike" wrote in message
...

---
snip

The biggest threat to all our smaller birds is a female
sparrowhawk whose diet thank goodness, mainly consists of collared doves
and house sparrows.

Collared Doves!! That quite amazes me. Sparrows yes but wow that's a big
bird to take.

There's a sparrowhawk round here which plucks and dismembers some of its
prey in our back garden, and I have found collared dove 'bits' below her
favoured post. Jackdaws, too, occasionally.

"Mike" wrote in message:.

Collared Doves!! That quite amazes me. Sparrows yes but wow that's a big
bird to take
---
My wife and I have watched a female sparrowhawk plucking a collared dove
in our garden. The dove was captured on the bird table roof, carried to the
ground and stayed alive whilst the hawk tore away most of the breast
feathers. Eventually the hawk flew off with the dove dangling and flapping
underneath. Nature in the raw!!
Later in the day the hawk returned, swiftly flying in circles around our
garden and the bird table. Much better than seeing it all happen
on television.

Mike R.

On 29/11/05 19:36, in article
, "BAC"
wrote:


"Mike" wrote in message
...

---
snip

The biggest threat to all our smaller birds is a female
sparrowhawk whose diet thank goodness, mainly consists of collared doves
and house sparrows.

Collared Doves!! That quite amazes me. Sparrows yes but wow that's a big
bird to take.

There's a sparrowhawk round here which plucks and dismembers some of its
prey in our back garden, and I have found collared dove 'bits' below her
favoured post. Jackdaws, too, occasionally.


Ha! All our collared, or ring neck doves have gone to sparrowhawks, as did
our attempt at keeping white doves. They're just the right size for those
damned hawks. We ended up returning what remained of the white doves to the
person we bought them from. We felt that we were running a sort of buffet
for sparrowhawks. At the time, we had someone doing some occasional work
here who told us that the worst of it is that the sparrowhawk pins the
victim to the ground and eats it from the back inwards, while that victim is
still alive. After that, I just couldn't go on offering up the white doves.
But last year we had 4 pairs, at least, of ring neck doves in the garden.
We don't have one now, dammit.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In message , Sacha
writes
Collared Doves!! That quite amazes me. Sparrows yes but wow that's a big
bird to take.

There's a sparrowhawk round here which plucks and dismembers some of its
prey in our back garden, and I have found collared dove 'bits' below her
favoured post. Jackdaws, too, occasionally.


Ha! All our collared, or ring neck doves have gone to sparrowhawks, as
did our attempt at keeping white doves. They're just the right size
for those damned hawks. We ended up returning what remained of the
white doves to the person we bought them from. We felt that we were
running a sort of buffet for sparrowhawks. At the time, we had someone
doing some occasional work here who told us that the worst of it is
that the sparrowhawk pins the victim to the ground and eats it from the
inwards, while that victim is still alive. After that, I just couldn't
go on offering up the white doves. But last year we had 4 pairs, at
least, of ring neck doves in the garden. We don't have one now, dammit.

We had a pair of visiting pheasants, for the first time ever, for about
8 months - they'd turn up every morning for the bird food, nearly always
together, and became quite special to us. About a month ago I saw the
sparrowhawk take the hen. I've only seen the cock once since then, a few
days later ...

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 29/11/05 23:40, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
Collared Doves!! That quite amazes me. Sparrows yes but wow that's a big
bird to take.

There's a sparrowhawk round here which plucks and dismembers some of its
prey in our back garden, and I have found collared dove 'bits' below her
favoured post. Jackdaws, too, occasionally.


Ha! All our collared, or ring neck doves have gone to sparrowhawks, as
did our attempt at keeping white doves. They're just the right size
for those damned hawks. We ended up returning what remained of the
white doves to the person we bought them from. We felt that we were
running a sort of buffet for sparrowhawks. At the time, we had someone
doing some occasional work here who told us that the worst of it is
that the sparrowhawk pins the victim to the ground and eats it from the
inwards, while that victim is still alive. After that, I just couldn't
go on offering up the white doves. But last year we had 4 pairs, at
least, of ring neck doves in the garden. We don't have one now, dammit.

We had a pair of visiting pheasants, for the first time ever, for about
8 months - they'd turn up every morning for the bird food, nearly always
together, and became quite special to us. About a month ago I saw the
sparrowhawk take the hen. I've only seen the cock once since then, a few
days later ...

I just don't know what the answer is to this and I do so wish I did. The
RSPB insists that sparrowhawks are not reducing songbirds and we are
absolutely sure that they are! We have had a sparrhowhawk chase sparrows
into our largest glasshouse and try to catch them in their hideyholes behind
various big pots. That bird was chased out but has returned more than once,
intent on slaughter. And now, hen pheasants with you! That's quite
ambitious, surely?
I'm afraid our Jack Russells have driven off the pheasants but at one time
we had one cock pheasant with five wives and it was the most charming and
beguiling thing to watch. He would come onto the lawn to feed, all the time
making this low, chucking call and his harem would emerge slowly and shyly
onto the grass, feeding beside him. Sometimes, we would wake up in the
morning and look out of our bedroom window to see the wives sitting on a
garden table, waiting to be served their breakfast. I do miss them very
much but the much loved but equally cursed dogs do not encourage them.
OTOH, if I take some of the bird food down into the shrubbier areas of the
garden, who knows......?
The only hopeful thing I can say is that a few days ago we drove through a
farmyard very close to us and there was a cock pheasant with several wives,
so I hope and pray the sparrowhawk doesn't spy them.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 29/11/05 23:40, in article
,
"Klara" wrote:

In message ,
Sacha
writes

snip

We had a pair of visiting pheasants, for the first time ever, for
about
8 months - they'd turn up every morning for the bird food, nearly
always
together, and became quite special to us. About a month ago I saw
the
sparrowhawk take the hen. I've only seen the cock once since then,
a few
days later ...


snip
I'm afraid our Jack Russells have driven off the pheasants but at
one time
we had one cock pheasant with five wives and it was the most
charming and
beguiling thing to watch. He would come onto the lawn to feed, all
the time
making this low, chucking call and his harem would emerge slowly and
shyly
onto the grass, feeding beside him. Sometimes, we would wake up in
the
morning and look out of our bedroom window to see the wives sitting
on a
garden table, waiting to be served their breakfast. I do miss them
very
much but the much loved but equally cursed dogs do not encourage
them.
OTOH, if I take some of the bird food down into the shrubbier areas
of the
garden, who knows......?
The only hopeful thing I can say is that a few days ago we drove
through a
farmyard very close to us and there was a cock pheasant with several
wives,
so I hope and pray the sparrowhawk doesn't spy them.

Yes, it's a cruel world out there. And it's us meddling humans that
make it easy for the sparrowhawks.
We put up these feeders, attract masses of small birds and the
sparrowhawks think that it is all for their benefit. We just give them
easy pickings.
'Doubt there is a solution unless we enclose the whole garden in 2
inch wire mesh.
Must say I'm surprised that the s'hawks are taking pheasants, tho'.
Our phessies just flatten on the ground when the s'hawks swoop through
and so far are unscathed.
The biggest victims around here are blackbirds. Their flight seems low
and straight and the hawks find them easy to take.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/birds.html#pheasants
last update 27.11.2005

ned wrote:
Yes, it's a cruel world out there. And it's us meddling humans that
make it easy for the sparrowhawks.
(snip)

Once in the car with my husband we saw an old man waving his arms
around seemingly trying to catch something on the pavement. Eventually
I saw that it was a yellow canary. I got out the car and asked if I
could help. The man told me it wasn't his - by then the bird had got
into a hedge and was in someone's garden. I opened the side gate to get
in, but within seconds a magpie swooped on it, took it to the edge of
the roof of the house and took the canary's head off in a flash. Yurk
(

In message , Sacha
writes
I just don't know what the answer is to this and I do so wish I did.
The RSPB insists that sparrowhawks are not reducing songbirds and we
are absolutely sure that they are! We have had a sparrhowhawk chase
sparrows into our largest glasshouse and try to catch them in their
hideyholes behind various big pots. That bird was chased out but has
returned more than once, intent on slaughter. And now, hen pheasants
with you! That's quite ambitious, surely? I'm afraid our Jack Russells
have driven off the pheasants but at one time we had one cock pheasant
with five wives and it was the most charming and beguiling thing to
watch. He would come onto the lawn to feed, all the time making this
low, chucking call and his harem would emerge slowly and shyly onto the
grass, feeding beside him. Sometimes, we would wake up in the morning
and look out of our bedroom window to see the wives sitting on a garden
table, waiting to be served their breakfast. I do miss them very much
but the much loved but equally cursed dogs do not encourage them. OTOH,
if I take some of the bird food down into the shrubbier areas of the
garden, who knows......? The only hopeful thing I can say is that a few
days ago we drove through a farmyard very close to us and there was a
cock pheasant with several wives, so I hope and pray the sparrowhawk doesn't spy them.

I suppose the sparrowhawk needs to feed too, but do grudge it raising a
large and hungry family! I have been more or less glued to the computer
for more than a year with too many deadlines, but even in my occasional
glances out the window I have seen a lot of birds taken, and it only
takes a few seconds ... usually the prey is carted off to be consumed
elsewhere - my guess is that we must lose a bird a day (often, I think,
ring-necked doves). The pheasant did have a second hen months ago, but
that one, judging by the sad little pile of feathers, may have been
taken by the vixen with her brood. But I keep on feeding the birds, in
the hope that that does more good than harm - because the sparrowhawk
will prey somewhere anyway.
--
Klara, Gatwick basin

I suppose the sparrowhawk needs to feed too, but do grudge it raising a
large and hungry family! I have been more or less glued to the computer
for more than a year with too many deadlines, but even in my occasional
glances out the window I have seen a lot of birds taken, and it only
takes a few seconds ... usually the prey is carted off to be consumed
elsewhere - my guess is that we must lose a bird a day (often, I think,
ring-necked doves). The pheasant did have a second hen months ago, but
that one, judging by the sad little pile of feathers, may have been
taken by the vixen with her brood. But I keep on feeding the birds, in
the hope that that does more good than harm - because the sparrowhawk
will prey somewhere anyway.
--
Klara, Gatwick basin

May I just say that I have not seen the Sparrowhawk take anything over or
from our garden. I think that this 'may' be because as I understand it, the
Sparrowhawk wants a 'clear run' in and out, and we have hedges/high shrubs
both sides with the house at one end and a 'specimen Leylanddi' at the other
end, so no clear run in and out is available.

I might add that we 'think' that the Leylandii is used for nesting and I
believe that a Mistle Thrush was checking it out today :-))

Mike
The truth will prevail

"Mike" wrote in message
...

snip

But I keep on feeding the birds, in
the hope that that does more good than harm - because the
sparrowhawk
will prey somewhere anyway.
--
Klara, Gatwick basin

May I just say that I have not seen the Sparrowhawk take anything
over or
from our garden. I think that this 'may' be because as I understand
it, the
Sparrowhawk wants a 'clear run' in and out, and we have hedges/high
shrubs
both sides with the house at one end and a 'specimen Leylanddi' at
the other
end, so no clear run in and out is available.

I might add that we 'think' that the Leylandii is used for nesting
and I
believe that a Mistle Thrush was checking it out today :-))

Oooh, careful Mike. That statement about Leylandii being used for
nesting might raise a few feathers.
The implication is that it is not trimmed.
A well trimmed Leylandi would be too dense for most nesting birds.
While it amuses me to see sparrows and finches fly straight at
hawthorn and blackthorn hedging and be seemingly swallowed up by the
open foliage.

And our sparrow hawks adopt a very swooping approach. I think they
must 'case' the garden activity from afar and then make their approach
using all the available cover, swooping around the end of the house
and a tall tree before dipping into the garden. And if they draw a
blank, they are not averse to stopping on a fence rail or hopping
through some sparse shrubs before taking their leave.

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 27.11.2005

Oooh, careful Mike. That statement about Leylandii being used for
nesting might raise a few feathers.

Me? Raise feathers? Never ;-)

The implication is that it is not trimmed.

It is trimmed, but ...

A well trimmed Leylandi

not 'well' :-))

would be too dense for most nesting birds.

we have kept the height down but there is still plenty of room between
branches for nesting birds. I 'believe' we had a Blackbird and possibly
Pigeons in there this year, but not sure on the latter.

While it amuses me to see sparrows and finches fly straight at
hawthorn and blackthorn hedging and be seemingly swallowed up by the
open foliage.

we have quite a few Quickthorn hedges and the Sparrows love them :-)


And our sparrow hawks adopt a very swooping approach. I think they
must 'case' the garden activity from afar and then make their approach
using all the available cover, swooping around the end of the house
and a tall tree before dipping into the garden. And if they draw a
blank, they are not averse to stopping on a fence rail or hopping
through some sparse shrubs before taking their leave.

I think that our garden where the birds are might be a bit too small for
them. The 'bird active' part is only 20 ft x about 40 ft and surrounded by
trees and bushes and almost secluded. Not quite sunbathing in the nuddy if
you see what I mean


Mike
The truth will prevail

The message
from "ned" contains these words:

Oooh, careful Mike. That statement about Leylandii being used for
nesting might raise a few feathers.
The implication is that it is not trimmed.
A well trimmed Leylandi would be too dense for most nesting birds.

You have to be joking! Well-trained leylandii is nothing but a crust of
foliage over a skeleton of trunks and branches.

I can walk right into mine - in fact, when trimming te top of it i get
inside and climb up ther to clip it. I had to leave it a while this year
because of several birds nesting in there.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in
message k...
The message
from "ned" contains these words:

Oooh, careful Mike. That statement about Leylandii being used for
nesting might raise a few feathers.
The implication is that it is not trimmed.
A well trimmed Leylandi would be too dense for most nesting birds.

You have to be joking! Well-trained leylandii is nothing but a crust
of
foliage over a skeleton of trunks and branches.

I can walk right into mine - in fact, when trimming te top of it i
get
inside and climb up ther to clip it. I had to leave it a while this
year
because of several birds nesting in there.

ROFL !!!
Ah, so you admit you don't look after it, proper like. :-))
If you leave it too late then you won't get regrowth that year and it
will stay thin.
Well, mine is like a 4 foot thick green wall and the top is like a
billiard table.
I'll grant you its not green inside but has a damned dense thick
'crust' on the outside.

:-))

--
ned

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk
last update 27.11.2005