My father in law told me that wood pigeons were eating his cherries but being a nice chap he didn't want to hurt them. So he cocked his air rifle without a pellet in there and walked over to the tree, the pigeons didn't fly off, he pointed the gun at one of them and fired so close that it ruffled the bird's feathers, he said the bird gave him a dirty look and went back to eating his cherries.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Living on the edge of fields and woodland I've been plagued with the feathered rats for over 30yrs. There's no (legal) solution I'm afraid. They wake me before 4.30am every morning this time of year, piles of cr*p under where they sleep and they're fornicating all over the place non-stop. A neighbour shoots them (legally) in the woods and for farmers. He says that you'll get x number of pigeons per acre. If you shoot half of them, the equivalent number will come in and replace them. I share your pain!
What with the pigeons and now the rooks fighting cars parked on driveways down the road it's gettin a bit much!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I fixed my bird feeders so don't drop seed on the floor. I put a pigeon/squirrel proof cage around the feeder. All my pigeons have gone (and the poop) and now go next door. I feel smug (and shocked) that it actually worked!
I had their cousins (mourning doves) perching all around my kids trampoline netting several years ago. I stopped putting out bird seed, but they had evidently gotten in the habit and continue. I then attached old CD's with ribbon to the end of sticks, attached to each pole to swing freely. After physically being hit with the CD's a few times in the wind, they went to more secure perches elsewhere. I don't mind them in my garden, just not there.
Could you string a bit of wire a foot above where they are perching, and tie some old CD's across every foot or so to swing and create flashes of light as they reflect the sun? It might help.
Someone once told me that pigeons can recognise individual humans but he did not say if they then took any notice of you !! The pigeon thought process could be..." Oh here comes Dave again..havent seen him since last week " And then they ignore him and carry on feeding. Apparently they have to be constantly feeding.Not sure if thats true as you dont see many obese pigeons !.
Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
The hanging CD's have kept them away from my raspberry patch. It's quite tucked away in a narrow space anyway, but they've not had any - not that there are many to have, it's the first season. The CD's put on quite a light show when the sun is on them
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Posts
There's no (legal) solution I'm afraid.
They wake me before 4.30am every morning this time of year, piles of cr*p under where they sleep and they're fornicating all over the place non-stop.
A neighbour shoots them (legally) in the woods and for farmers. He says that you'll get x number of pigeons per acre. If you shoot half of them, the equivalent number will come in and replace them.
I share your pain!
What with the pigeons and now the rooks fighting cars parked on driveways down the road it's gettin a bit much!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Could you string a bit of wire a foot above where they are perching, and tie some old CD's across every foot or so to swing and create flashes of light as they reflect the sun? It might help.
The pigeon thought process could be..." Oh here comes Dave again..havent seen him since last week " And then they ignore him and carry on feeding.
Apparently they have to be constantly feeding.Not sure if thats true as you dont see many obese pigeons !.
The CD's put on quite a light show when the sun is on them
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.