Jays, crows, pigeons, and blackbirds
Artylive
Posts: 33
After shooing away the jays, crows and pigeons I have learnt to accept them.
I live in an area quite a distance from London however the suburbs have grown and it is a commuter area includes this town.
What has this to do with wildlife you may ask?
These birds live comfortably together with no conflicts. Each species keeps to themselves. The larger birds visit regularly but so too do the smaller birds. Each has a preference for which is deemed best for them.
I believe we could take a lesson from this to live comfortably within our own community/country.
I now accept that jays, crows and pigeons are birds too, rather large but they bring an additional element to my garden.
Jays and crows are very clever. The food is taken and dipped into the bird bath to make it softer to swallow. They don't argue with each other and take it in turns.
Pigeons are fat and a little stupid but they make a lovely cooing noise which is quite soporific and calming.
Blackbirds do a wonderful opera first thing in the mornings and the robins and smaller birds flit in and out of my garden all the time.
Each has its place in my garden and bring diversity and interest the whole day through. These animals didn't chose to be what they are.
I believe we should take a lesson from this for our own lives.
There is nothing more wonderful than humans with their capacity to love.
Posts
Wise words Artylive.
Yes, very well put.
We live in a semi rural part of North Wales and have a medium sized garden which is regularly visited by a variety of birds; far more in number and species than when we lived in the town.
However (and its a biggish "however") as in the town, we are still plagued by the problem of feline visitors, not only in terms of fouling but preying on the birds and other small animals.
Its Nature, you might say, but I would argue that as it was humans who introduced domestic cats into the natural environment its really up to us to mitigate any damage they might do to the ecological balance. To wit: cat scarers of different kinds including automatic water sprinklers, ultrasonic warning devices and concealed holes filled with poisoned spikes (just kidding on that last one).
On that topic, I wonder has anyone ever managed to successfully install a PIR activated water sprinkler by connecting it to a water butt rather than to an outside tap? We're on a water meter, and I'm not keen to leave it to chance that the hose won't blow off the connector one night and leave us facing a massive bill.
Thanks in advance.
hmmmm - not when they start their lovely cooing noise (i.e. calling for sex) at around 4.30am right below my bedroom window - every morning!!
Doesn't calm me in the least - best sound is the sound of my neighbour's shot-gun
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Not sure what you can do. Cat's are notoriously stubborn if your plot is part of its territory no matter what they will always find a way of getting around your deterrents. Try using Roar. Comes in packets (it's lion poo). It works for a while but you have to keep topping up which works out expensive.
Block up all its entry and exit points. Then put plastic spikes on top of fences and the like. Nothing seems to work well long term. I did have a problem but my new next door neighbor has a dog and this is the best deterrent. No more pussy cat.
In the past my biggest problem were dogs using the verge as a toilet. Getting in and out of the car with the children was a nightmare. This was resolved by a canny product which consisted of blue/green jelly-like pellets which sprinkled on the area. Had to buy quite a few as they break down in the weather. But achieved it in the end. Took about six months.
Some people are lazy and don't want to walk their dog to the park or leave it too late. I always thought you could train dogs to poo in certain areas I had a cat and she always used her litter tray. No visiting gardens digging up plants and leaving packets of poo from my little cat.
I can only sympathize which is probably no help. Sorry. Unless you're allergic to cats maybe a different tactic of befriending it. The owner, I believe, may be unaware of your dilemma and letting it roam about doesn't sound like it's home much. Maybe it's home isn't very welcoming and it prefers the outside. Who knows.
A very nice post to read and we have the same combination of birds in our garden plus others. I agree with everything except the pigeons!! The smaller birds such as sparrows and tits come less frequently now and I think the pigeons might have scared them away. Yes they are a bit slapstick and we feel sorry for them...but pigeons can quickly colonise. They are making a mess all over the garden - their excrement can spread disease through soil and to smaller birds, erode tiles, and they are a public health hazard that shouldn't be encouraged. They have learned how to balance on the bird feeding station I put out for the smaller birds (at first they used to fall off in a flap), and they're eating all the food I've put out to help small birds. Pigeons evolved from the rock dove and racing pigeon, are capable of finding food for themselves and don't need to be fed, and their numbers are increasing in gardens. But the smaller birds need help. I don't think pigeons necessarily belong in gardens but I'm finding it is very hard to be selective...
So true. A few are o.k. but overrun with one species or another becomes a nuisance. In my previous house I used to hire a bird of prey every now and again. The pigeons stay away then. In fact when I left we had no pigeons. So maybe it's time to hire again in this area. Not too expensive but needs to be done regularly. The handler comes into the area every so often and you pay for the privilege. It definitely works.
Obviously your pigeons are more intelligent than the ones we have. Ours are wood pigeons and a more stupid bird I have yet to see, apart from pheasants and partridges. Perhaps that is why those species are favoured by the shooting fraternity.
Yes a lovely dream if people could get on accept others. Unfortunately man as a species hasn't evolved to that stage as yet, and as most bipedal animals live increasingly in environments detached from nature in part or in some case in whole, and have little interest or regard for the natural world, then the course of evolution for many in those environments is heading in the opposite direction of the dream.
Artylive if you hire a bird of prey, does this scare the small garden birds as well? I thought about getting a big realistic statue of an owl , then I thought it might scare off all the small birds.
Ceres yes maybe, not that I think any living thing being stupid is a reason to shoot it!
Yes I agree we have to be accepting of nature, but I feel I have a moral duty to prevent the spread of disease if I can.. pigeon mess everywhere is a hazard.