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Pesky pigeons

happycottontailhappycottontail Posts: 394
in Problem solving

This year I have grown nasturtiums for the first time.  They are the primrose coloured variety, growing at the front of several beds around the patio, and are just full of buds - or should I say "were".  I have just counted 9 little forlorn looking buds scattered on the patio, near the plants.  image  I didn't see the criminals responsible, but guess it was pigeons.  Does anyone else have this problem, and can anyone suggest a sensible solution?  I can already think of the facetious ones, so don't even go there!

Posts

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    it could more  be but I doudt it, more like small snails or slugs.image

  • TantyTanty Posts: 59

    I bought two SuperSoaker water pistols and shoot the pigeons at every opportunity - funnily enough, after a few days, they went elsewhere.  I also found a UK site online what sells spike collars to put on chimneys (not expensive at all) which is the other strand of my plan to stop chimneys getting covered in gunk and also to protect plants from being dive-bombed!

    I also have a potted Scots Pine which has got a bald spot cos my neighbour's cat had a thrashing fit in there and broke off a ton of wee branches, not grown back yet.  Happily, the water pistols are annoying the cat a lot and now he has learned to run when I appear!

     Good luck image

  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066

    Birds are more likely to peck yellow flowers than any other colour because thats the colour that attracts most insects.  Yellow crocus are a prime example.  Blackbirds always go for yellow crocus over the other colours

    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    I'd happily contribute to a cull of them round here. I'm awake 4.30am with the fat oversexed things cooing incessantly, mating non-stop and eating all the plants but leaving the weeds. There's 1 that tries to mate with the head of an old plastic heron everyday! 

    I've told the dog she can eat as many pigeons she can catch

    nuff said image


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • happycottontailhappycottontail Posts: 394

    Thanks Tanty, I shall have to get some water pistols and hope that they will work!

  • happycottontailhappycottontail Posts: 394

    I could understand it if the birds went for open flowers to get to the insects, but these are quite tiny buds neatly nipped off their stalks and then left completely untouched on the ground or patio image

  • BizzieBBizzieB Posts: 885

     

    Pete8 wrote (see)

    I'd happily contribute to a cull of them round here. I'm awake 4.30am with the fat oversexed things cooing incessantly, mating non-stop and eating all the plants but leaving the weeds. There's 1 that tries to mate with the head of an old plastic heron everyday! 

    I've told the dog she can eat as many pigeons she can catch

    nuff said image

     

    Pete8 image

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