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Unwelcome garden visitors

SusieQ5SusieQ5 Posts: 8
in Wildlife gardening

We used to have  a really good variety of small birds regularly visiting our garden, but over the past few years we have been invaded by gangs of magpies and wood pigeons, plus the occasional jackdaw.  They have now scared off all the small birds.  The magpies have mastered the art of hanging and feeding from the bird feeders and stealing the food and in the process dropping enough on the ground to keep the pigeons so fat I wonder how they manage to fly!  Anyone out there got any ideas on how we can deter these bullies so that our garden can be a safe haven for the small birds?

 

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    That's why I have this Sue ...

     

    Big birds can't get in...

    http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w595/fairygirl55/DSCF1285_zpsezeqfxs5.jpg

     

     

    little birds can  image

    http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w595/fairygirl55/DSCF1515_zpsjqn0nwis.jpg

     

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Oh - and buy good feed mixes, the no mess kind - not the ones padded out with barley. Pigeons love that ...image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Jimmy CrawfordJimmy Crawford Posts: 468

    The Woodies around here have acquired a taste for un-hulled sunflower seeds, the fat beggars.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    They're big bandits aren't they Jimmy! They try very hard to get into the other area I have cordoned off mainly for my blackbirds - but they're too lardy for that as well image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Jimmy CrawfordJimmy Crawford Posts: 468

    I'll have to use the white hulled ones next time I go shopping. Half the seeds gets dropped out the feeders by the finches. Still, it keeps the gardens mice population fed image

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Woman along the road from me keeps chucking out bread philippa  image

    All the usual suspects are always hanging around her door and garden....image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Jimmy CrawfordJimmy Crawford Posts: 468

    Breads about the only thing I don't put out as the gulls up here can spot it from miles away. It's windy enough that It could be a Dundonian breakfast roll. Is it well-fired looking? image

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    An air gun pellet above their heads will see off Magpies, they are very clever and quick to learn. I remember getting plagued with crows once, it worked for those too.I hate to see them ripping the fleglings apart after all the efforts from the parent birds.

    I know they have to eat, but there's plenty of forests, fields and hedgerows they can go.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Jimmy CrawfordJimmy Crawford Posts: 468

    Well, I'm not from around here, but if you can understand what the roll is saying, then it's not a Dundonian one image

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Lyn - you've just reminded of the resident crow population at my last house. They nested in the trees just down the road. Drove me nuts with their incessant cawing image

    The only neighbour used to put bread out too...image

    A well fired roll philippa - you could use them as ammunition instead! image

    Sorry Sue - we've kind of hi jacked your thread - it got us all fired up image image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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