Garden Wildlife UK

I'm so upset - man across the way told OH that he has seen cats waiting on the wall, which is under our fence where a lot of hanging feeders are, and leaping up and getting the birds. He said it has been happening quite a lot and he has seen the ginger cat taking them away. I'm wondering if he saw it more the week we were away.

Of course this wouldn't be happening so much if the people a few doors down from them hadn't come out on 5th November about seven years ago and ripped up £80 odd worth of trees and shrubs we'd planted the whole length of that outside bit. We heard from someone that they didn't want trees there - it would make it unsafe because people could hide amongst them and leap out and attack people.

Only one solution that I can think of(other than buying a 12 bore shotgun and eliminating the cats) and it is to relocate the feeders. I know you're going to say it's easier said than done but if bird's lives are unnecessarily at risk steps have to be taken.

A sad reflection of unreasonable neighbours acting in a selfish way and creating a major impact. I've got one of them over the back!!!
Agree with Jacksparra, Nuthatch. If this is a common occurrence, the whole set up will need a rethink. Now that the cats have the scent, they will just keep coming.
I have employed various ways to slow cats down, so that the birds get enough warning. Wire across one edge of the shed roof so they can't leap at the bird table, trellis of various shapes and sizes to make it harder for cats to access certain feeding areas, cuttings from thorny bushes laid in areas where a cat can run at birds, a bell in the shrubs that get disturbed by cats when they come over the fence at the back.
Good luck Nuthatch. Not a nice situation to be in.

I accidently overheard one side of a conversation a chap was having on his mobile phone while passing my property yesterday "I had a Peregrine Falcon land in my garden on Sunday " he said excitedly. I didn't get to hear if the person he was speaking with believed the claim but I didn't. There are no Peregrines in my locality(nearest about 22 mile away) but there are Sparrowhawks which look remarkably similar to the untrained eye. Should I have run down the road and put him right? No! I don't think so either.

Yeh, allow him to carry on living the dream Jacksparra. He'll probably being telling that story for years to come, until he gets a photo and starts to share it on social media!!! Should've gone to Specsavers!! To be fair to him, I thought I saw a Golden Eagle in my garden yesterday, but when I put my glasses on, it turned out to be a Wood Pigeon.

Biker wrote: To be fair to him, I thought I saw a Golden Eagle in my garden yesterday, but when I put my glasses on, it turned out to be a Wood Pigeon.

What a disappointment. All your mates in the Sturks Head would have been impressed.

There has been a nasty fire on the sand dunes at the reserve it has stretched about 2 mile Im sure there will be a lot of lost fledgelings .

Biker wrote:A sad reflection of unreasonable neighbours acting in a selfish way and creating a major impact. I've got one of them over the back!!!
Agree with Jacksparra, Nuthatch. If this is a common occurrence, the whole set up will need a rethink. Now that the cats have the scent, they will just keep coming.
I have employed various ways to slow cats down, so that the birds get enough warning. Wire across one edge of the shed roof so they can't leap at the bird table, trellis of various shapes and sizes to make it harder for cats to access certain feeding areas, cuttings from thorny bushes laid in areas where a cat can run at birds, a bell in the shrubs that get disturbed by cats when they come over the fence at the back.
Good luck Nuthatch. Not a nice situation to be in.

All very useful, Biker - thanks

I have hung a large-ish bell from the top of the trellis across the way from the large bird bath. This has been in the garage by the feathers for a couple of years. It was on a Giant Gold Bunny I won online from Lindt.

In a gap between two pieces of trellis, where the cats like to step through, I have lashed three large wooden flowers (with leaves) - the petals are spiky.

Then a bit further along I have tied a children's wooden football rattle - it's smaller than a 'proper' one and has some primary colours on it. The cats tippy-toe on top of the fence just the other side of the trellis so if they nose this to test it out it might clack and spook them for 3 and a half minutes

I've got two more of these rattles and some small bells somewhere but no more flowers of that size

Edit: OH says the rattle will just encourage people to get on the low wall under the fence and try to grab it - will have to relocate it grrr

Edit: hopefully the wooden flowers will be replaced with some wire

greenfinch wrote:There has been a nasty fire on the sand dunes at the reserve it has stretched about 2 mile Im sure there will be a lot of lost fledgelings .

This is terrible, greenfinch - do they think it was caused by a careless human? How long was it before they noticed it? Two miles

Any updates?