We have had an issue where I work with nesting gulls. These come and lay eggs in front of our office block situated in the middle of nowhere not far from a river estuary. Once the chick have hatched, the parent gulls become over protective and attack people. Last year, one lady came in with a bleeding skull and 1 hour latter a man slipped while fending off the attacking gull and dislocated his shoulder.
This year, a tall pole was installed, like a 20 foot fishing rod, with a kite attached to a wire at the top of it. The Kite is shaped like a bird of prey. It worked. No more gulls and the song birds and swallows thats nest on or close to the building dont seem to be bothered.
Dont know if this will help you getting rid of magpies, but it certainly worked to scare the gulls away.
Now that is a dying art Fish65, had a falconer lived across the road from us when I was growing up, amazing seeing Goshawks, Peregrines and Sparrow Hawks all sat out on plant pots on his lawn
Be patient when putting up feeders, it took years to get any decent birds in my garden, but eventually was rewarded with a Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Redpoll & Woodpeckers. Magpies are super smart and will work most things out. If there is a way to get in a feeder/on a feeder they will nail that without a doubt. However, feeders such a nijer seed feeders are too small for their beaks so try them maybe to attrach Goldfinches etc. Also a ground guardian feeder which has holes in it which birds around the size of a finch and smaller can sneak into but magpies/pigeons etc can just watch on with jealousy.
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If this can help...
We have had an issue where I work with nesting gulls. These come and lay eggs in front of our office block situated in the middle of nowhere not far from a river estuary. Once the chick have hatched, the parent gulls become over protective and attack people. Last year, one lady came in with a bleeding skull and 1 hour latter a man slipped while fending off the attacking gull and dislocated his shoulder.
This year, a tall pole was installed, like a 20 foot fishing rod, with a kite attached to a wire at the top of it. The Kite is shaped like a bird of prey. It worked. No more gulls and the song birds and swallows thats nest on or close to the building dont seem to be bothered.
Dont know if this will help you getting rid of magpies, but it certainly worked to scare the gulls away.
Take up falconry and get yourself a Goshawk, that would sort the problem
Now that is a dying art Fish65, had a falconer lived across the road from us when I was growing up, amazing seeing Goshawks, Peregrines and Sparrow Hawks all sat out on plant pots on his lawn
Be patient when putting up feeders, it took years to get any decent birds in my garden, but eventually was rewarded with a Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Redpoll & Woodpeckers. Magpies are super smart and will work most things out. If there is a way to get in a feeder/on a feeder they will nail that without a doubt. However, feeders such a nijer seed feeders are too small for their beaks so try them maybe to attrach Goldfinches etc. Also a ground guardian feeder which has holes in it which birds around the size of a finch and smaller can sneak into but magpies/pigeons etc can just watch on with jealousy.
Okay, thanks for all your advice. Step number one will be - no more suet balls!