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Old 31-05-2003, 05:45 PM
 
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Default Pigeons

Help!!!!
A deterrent for pigeons please I have lost rows of brassicas after
netting then letting them see the air
Anyon any great ideas
Cheers
Rich
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Old 31-05-2003, 06:56 PM
The Devil's Advocate
 
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Default Pigeons

Just keep them netted, right down to the ground, it's a flaming nuisance but
seems the only way unless someone comes up with a good answer

Robert
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
: Cheers
: Rich


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Old 31-05-2003, 10:08 PM
Drakanthus
 
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Just keep them netted, right down to the ground, it's a flaming nuisance
but
seems the only way unless someone comes up with a good answer

Seconded! Mine are still covered, I just loosen the netting periodically to
allow for growth. Taking the netting off is just like saying "Come on in
boys - brassicas for breakfast!"

I've also found that a close knit net also helps to minimise cabbage white
butterflies laying their eggs and the associated green munchers.

On the down side though, it deters blackbirds and other useful birds from
eating slugs. Can never win!

--
Drakanthus.


(Spam filter: Include the word VB anywhere in the subject line or emails
will never reach me.)


  #5   Report Post  
Old 01-06-2003, 09:08 AM
David Hill
 
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Default Pigeons

Pigeons are certainly selective in their feeding.
When I was market gardening we used to grow a number of varieties of winter
cabbage, Hard white, pickling, Savoy, January King, and a couple of other
varieties.
We planted 4 rows to a bed by machine, 1 & 3 down and 2 & 4 on the way back,
so when we finished one variety we just started the next so the varieties
were mixed, and not in fixed blocks.
We found the pigeons would start with January king and go for all those
before moving on to their next choice.
the last to be eaten was the hard white.
I wish I could grow cabbage,etc here, but I have a neighbour who had
Fantail'. which have crossed with wild pigeons, so are not saleable, the
flock is now over 60 strong,and these live less than 200 yds from me.
I have grown Kohlrabi and they don't go for that.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk





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Old 01-06-2003, 06:20 PM
Sue & Bob Hobden
 
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Default Pigeons


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


Well we used to net but it's such a pain putting it on and then trying to
weed etc, so we now just hang old CR-Roms around the brassica plot off tall
canes pushed in at an angle and those discs flashing in the light seem to
deter the pests. Old video tape strung around also has the same effect as it
twists and turns in the breeze.
I might add that we have a plague of feral pigeons (and collared doves)
around our site as they find easy pickings at the Swan Sanctuary next door.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.


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Old 01-06-2003, 07:32 PM
Drakanthus
 
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Default Pigeons

Well we used to net but it's such a pain putting it on and then trying to
weed etc, so we now just hang old CR-Roms around the brassica plot off

tall
canes pushed in at an angle and those discs flashing in the light seem to
deter the pests.
Bob


Ahhh! A use at last for all those junk mail AOL disks!

--
Drakanthus.


(Spam filter: Include the word VB anywhere in the subject line or emails
will never reach me.)



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Old 02-06-2003, 12:32 AM
Sue & Bob Hobden
 
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Default Pigeons


"Drakanthus" wrote in message
Well we used to net but it's such a pain putting it on and then trying

to
weed etc, so we now just hang old CR-Roms around the brassica plot off

tall
canes pushed in at an angle and those discs flashing in the light seem

to
deter the pests.
Bob


Ahhh! A use at last for all those junk mail AOL disks!

Yep, that's the ones. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.


  #10   Report Post  
Old 03-06-2003, 12:44 PM
 
Posts: n/a
Default Pigeons


"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Drakanthus" wrote in message
Well we used to net but it's such a pain putting it on and then trying

to
weed etc, so we now just hang old CR-Roms around the brassica plot off

tall
canes pushed in at an angle and those discs flashing in the light seem

to
deter the pests.
Bob


Ahhh! A use at last for all those junk mail AOL disks!

Yep, that's the ones. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

Several neighbours in Devon use old CDs. I tried them last year and they

seem to work. It may be the direct reflected image as much as the flashing.
An old couple where we used to live in Cheshire used 2 litre transparent pop
bottles half filled with water to deterr rabbits. When laid on its side the
bottle gives a magnified reflected image of objects moving near it. This
could be alarming for a creature wary of predators.
May be reflective discs with a good mirror surface have the same effect.
Apparently reflective discs are being used in Australia to deterr Australian
crows-(a different species ours may be smarter) from nesting on the top of
telegraph posts.
regards
David T.




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Old 03-06-2003, 07:20 PM
Derek Banks
 
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Default Pigeons



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

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Old 04-06-2003, 12:56 AM
Sue & Bob Hobden
 
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Default 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.


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Old 04-06-2003, 06:08 PM
 
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Default 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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Old 05-06-2003, 10:18 AM
 
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Default Pigeons


"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Drakanthus" wrote in message
Well we used to net but it's such a pain putting it on and then trying

to
weed etc, so we now just hang old CR-Roms around the brassica plot off

tall
canes pushed in at an angle and those discs flashing in the light seem

to
deter the pests.
Bob


Ahhh! A use at last for all those junk mail AOL disks!

Yep, that's the ones. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

Several neighbours in Devon use old CDs. I tried them last year and they

seem to work. It may be the direct reflected image as much as the flashing.
An old couple where we used to live in Cheshire used 2 litre transparent pop
bottles half filled with water to deterr rabbits. When laid on its side the
bottle gives a magnified reflected image of objects moving near it. This
could be alarming for a creature wary of predators.
May be reflective discs with a good mirror surface have the same effect.
Apparently reflective discs are being used in Australia to deterr Australian
crows-(a different species ours may be smarter) from nesting on the top of
telegraph posts.
regards
David T.


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Old 05-06-2003, 10:18 AM
Derek Banks
 
Posts: n/a
Default Pigeons



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

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