This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

"michael" wrote
This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

Has pigeon pie gone out of fashion all-of-a-sudden?

michael wrote:
This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.

Hmm, I've noticed there seem to be more pigeons this year, too. Perhaps the
cold killed off some of the flying predators? Or maybe it's because
everyone has suddenly become very anti-fox after the media furore about the
fox attacks.

On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:14:47 -0700 (PDT), michael
wrote:

This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

Is it legal to shoot them?
--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:22:59 +0100, mogga wrote:


Is it legal to shoot them?

If they are wood pigeons or collared doves, then yes, they are under an
open licence. Not sure about feral pigeons though. Will look it up.

On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:41:58 +0000, Derek Turner wrote:

On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:22:59 +0100, mogga wrote:


Is it legal to shoot them?

If they are wood pigeons or collared doves, then yes, they are under an
open licence. Not sure about feral pigeons though. Will look it up.

bad form

quote

In the UK, the 'pest' birds covered by the DEFRA Open General Licence
include feral pigeons, Canada geese (not in Scotland, Wales or Northern
Ireland), carrion crows, herring gulls, house sparrows (not in England),
jackdaws, magpies, rooks, starlings (not in England) and woodpigeons. To
shoot them, you must be sure that they are definitely pests, and that
there is no better way to stop them from remaining as pests in the future
(for example, scaring them away or proofing). Possible reasons can
include spreading disease and destroying your crops.

/unquote

On 19 July, 11:14, michael wrote:
This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from *netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

We have this problem Herefordshire every year. I have a homemade
plastic mesh cage over my entire veg. garden. It's not altogether a
good thing, I get snow damage nearly every year. (Weight of snow on
the net rips it.)
You can try bird scarers. Scarecrows, dangling Cd disks etc. but you
need to change them regularly or they become ineffective. Or the
propane bang scarer if you have no neighbours.

On 19 July, 12:05, "TheScullster" wrote:
"michael" wrote

This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from *netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

Has pigeon pie gone out of fashion all-of-a-sudden?

I really think this is the solution.

Round by 'ere we are suffering from the decline in song birds, and
whilst I suspect sprays and cats are among the reasons, the swoffling
of all the available food by pigeons can't be helping.

I'm too old to go after them with a slingshot, but I recall people
being very good with them when I was a boy. Does anyone do that now?

On 19 July, 20:32, bobharvey wrote:
On 19 July, 12:05, "TheScullster" wrote:

"michael" wrote

This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from *netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

Has pigeon pie gone out of fashion all-of-a-sudden?

I really think this is the solution.

Round by 'ere we are suffering from the decline in song birds, and
whilst I suspect sprays and cats are among the reasons, the swoffling
of all the available food by pigeons can't be helping.

I'm too old to go after them with a slingshot, but I recall people
being very good with them *when I was a boy. * Does anyone do that now?

Kids these days only watch TV & play their computer games.

I've got a bird scarer that looks like a pair of eyes watching them. It turns round in the wind and light flashes and reflects off it too, and it definitely keeps the birds away. The best and cheapest solution I've found to keep them away anyway. This is what it looks like:

Rotating Bird Scarer - Wind Powered £9.49

To be honest, the eyes even spook me a little bit!

In article
,
michael writes
This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?

An insertion of lead!

Roy.
--
Roy Bailey
West Berkshire.

On 27 July, 13:50, DebbieR wrote:
michael;894617 Wrote:

This year on our allotment,pigeons have been eating everything that is
not netted very securely-even lettuce,green unripe currants.There seem
to be many more pigeons than in previous years,and I will be having
nightmares if the numbers increase again and again.There do not appear
to be any predators around ,such as large birds of prey.
Apart from *netting more and more,has anyone found a successful way to
keep them away?
Michael

I've got a bird scarer that looks like a pair of eyes watching them. It
turns round in the wind and light flashes and reflects off it too, and
it definitely keeps the birds away. The best and cheapest solution I've
found to keep them away anyway. This is what it looks like:

'Rotating Bird Scarer - Wind Powered £9.49'
(http://tinyurl.com/3ad7773)

To be honest, the eyes even spook me a little bit!

--
DebbieR

THanks,Debbie-I might try this device,Mike