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Pigeons
"Derek wrote in message ((snip)) 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. Having pigeons and collared doves around in numbers is enough encouragement. There are usually lots around our allotment site due to locals feeding them and easy pickings at the Swan Sanctuary but every few weeks they disappear for a few days because the hawks have moved in. We even had a Goshawk around our site last year. I've actually had a hawk hit a pigeon right over my head, thought it was snowing :-) the Hawk landed with it a few yards away but flew off presumably when it realised I was so close, the pigeon eventually flew off too. -- Bob (in N. Surrey) www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in Runnymede fighting for it's existence. |
Pigeons
"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. |
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