Water pistols and wood pigeons

[spikey]

3 hours ago, jonny777 said:

... maybe a stuffed dead cat nailed to one of the branches. 

 

Love it. 

[boxbrownie]

13 hours ago, PatB said:

Does anyone in the UK net their fruit trees, or is that exclusively an Australian thing? As far as I can see, it's the only really practical means of keeping large numbers of birds off over long periods of time, unless you want to spend every daylight hour on super soaker watch. 

We did one year with our cherry tree (mmmmm love cherries) but gave up after the first year, a lot of faffing around and the netting cost more than buying the fruit from the local farm each year!
Well at least the blackbirds are happy now 

[rocor]

9 hours ago, jonny777 said:

 

 

Believe me, wood pigeons may be robust; but they will get the message eventually if you are persistent. It took a while to get rid of the pair who had ideas on building a nest in our yew tree, but a regular tennis ball thrown up towards the branches had them flying off temporarily each time, until (after a week of that) they flew off as soon as I came out the back door each time. One day they never came back. 

 

You can't expect one squirt to have an effect. Patience over a number of weeks will be needed, or maybe a stuffed dead cat nailed to one of the branches. 

 

The Russian Blue?, beautiful pelage.

[J. S. Bach]

7 hours ago, Kylestrome said:

Yes, do make sure it's dead before you stuff it. 

Hmmm, mine seems to be a "self-stuffer" based on the normal condition of her and her food dish!

Edited February 19, 2020 by J. S. Bach

[luckymucklebackit]

What about the sound option (as used by airports)?  a small speaker in the tree and a recording of some loud bangs.  I am told bird distress sounds are also used, but unfortunately I don't know what the distress call of a wood pidgeon is like

[Compound2632]

48 minutes ago, luckymucklebackit said:

I don't know what the distress call of a wood pidgeon is like

 

Numerous methods of finding out have been suggested...

[96701]

8 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Numerous methods of finding out have been suggested...

Clapping of wings as they head off in a rush.

[Compound2632]

On 19/02/2020 at 19:21, J. S. Bach said:

Hmmm, mine seems to be a "self-stuffer" based on the normal condition of her and her food dish!

 

 

Smart cat there - spats and a white shirt front by the look of her. Has she ever caught wildlife? My parents-in-law once had a cat that caught a pidgeon but then didn't know what to do with it - my father-in-law had to finish it off.

[J. S. Bach]

2 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Smart cat there - spats and a white shirt front by the look of her. Has she ever caught wildlife? My parents-in-law once had a cat that caught a pidgeon but then didn't know what to do with it - my father-in-law had to finish it off.

A tuxedo cat. No wildlife that I know of; however I adopted her at age 6 years so I really do not know.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 19/02/2020 at 10:16, jonny777 said:

You can't expect one squirt to have an effect. 

 

The American electorate seem to think so.

 

Mike.

[tomparryharry]

We used to have a small hawk which liked to perch on our roof. From the hawks perspective, it seemed the best place to hunt pigeons, which it did very spectacularly . Said pigeon would take up position on our garage roof. The hawk would swoop down, startling the pigeon. However, too late for the pigeon, who would be caught at about 4-5 feet above the roof of the garage.  It was a deal all round; the hawk got fed, and the entrails would be gone in a day or two, as the local fox got his share as well.

 

Cats? Not a chance! Our old Staffie considered cat as a prime delicacy.....