Sparrowhawk

[Guest bluemorning]

beth

 

filled form in,i also sent you a email.happy to help you.but also you can return the favour if you share your findings with us. we may be able to limit attacks by spars on our birds.some members im affraid after losing birds which value can be hundreds of pounds are a bit wary of helping spars out by surveys.also the birds are wild and very nervy after seeing a loft taken.pigeon racing is a year long hobby every year. fanciers put a lot of hard work in,spend a hell of a lot of money. hope you understand members feelings.

[tequilaskylark]

Thanks to everyone for filling in the questionnaire, and also for all the help you have given me.

 

Of course i will send you my findings.

 

Thanks again, It really is appreciated.

 

Beth

[Guest bluemorning]

just like to add how much damage pet cats do to song pop also magpies,grey squirels. mink climb trees also. our song birds are under attack from all directions.when the prey becomes scarce so will the predator, spars will decrease but the rest dont just rely on birds they will scrape out a living on other food sources.

[Daisymay]

just like to add how much damage pet cats do to song pop also magpies,grey squirels. mink climb trees also. our song birds are under attack from all directions.when the prey becomes scarce so will the predator, spars will decrease but the rest dont just rely on birds they will scrape out a living on other food sources.

 

you say spars will decrease when prey becomes scarce so that leaves our doo's.

[Guest Owen]

bluemorning, I think you have missed the point. Appart from the fact that the Spars kill off other birds and cause thousands of chicks to die in the nest because parents are killed, they create havoc for pigeons. It is not a question of them taking the odd bird, it is the panic they create when they swoop down on them. I have had youngsters frightened up and never seen again. Then there are the situations where birds have wittnessed one of their fellows killed and become afraid to leave the loft. Anyone that has seen a Spar kill a pigeon or dove will know that their death is very slow and painful. In fact they are slowly eaten alive. I had a really good blue cock a couple of years ago that was starting to win stuff for me, but was ruined after an attack because at the slightest sign of a Hawk he would drop into a tree.

Yes OK there are plenty of other preditors waiting to grab a pigeon but most of them can be counteracted. Cats-electric fences,Dogs and foxes the same, magpies and crows-larsen traps. Squirels-fen traps and so on. I would like to know how you suggest that the we deal with these flying menaces?

[Daisymay]

bluemorning, I think you have missed the point. Appart from the fact that the Spars kill off other birds and cause thousands of chicks to die in the nest because parents are killed, they create havoc for pigeons. It is not a question of them taking the odd bird, it is the panic they create when they swoop down on them. I have had youngsters frightened up and never seen again. Then there are the situations where birds have wittnessed one of their fellows killed and become afraid to leave the loft. Anyone that has seen a Spar kill a pigeon or dove will know that their death is very slow and painful. In fact they are slowly eaten alive. I had a really good blue cock a couple of years ago that was starting to win stuff for me, but was ruined after an attack because at the slightest sign of a Hawk he would drop into a tree.

Yes OK there are plenty of other preditors waiting to grab a pigeon but most of them can be counteracted. Cats-electric fences,Dogs and foxes the same, magpies and crows-larsen traps. Squirels-fen traps and so on. I would like to know how you suggest that the we deal with these flying menaces?

 

Well put Owen

[Guest spin cycle]

IMO spars won't die off when small birds are gone...they are already adapting to take woodpigeon. thats the one species they'll never dent the no.s of.

[Guest bluemorning]

Well put Owen

 

 

 

hi owen

 

i have been attacked by spars but now i change things a bit.to try and limit any attacks, no loft sitting check that no spars are quartering before you let your birds out.dont let birds out after long periods rainfall bop start hunting about one hour or less after its stopped. be visable at your loft no cups of tea watching richard and judy on tv.try not to let birds out same time every day vary times.if you breed very early the female spar is increasing her weight ready for breeding at the time young pigeons are just learning the ropes, easy prey for a female spar. come mid march the breeding females will be less trouble and will be quiet for a couple of months while on nest duty.my birds were also scared to come out but not had attack for 8 months but a person leaves his fancy pigeons out all day.so in winter when all the little birds are feeding under hedgerows she will returncome and take another 3 of his birds and cause me problems to boot.i do understand i was trying to show other threats to our song birds not just spars.magpies crows etc ,squirrels,your average household cat,mink.then we could talk about the effect we ourselfs have had on our songbirds.we could go on and on

[Guest bluemorning]

IMO spars won't die off when small birds are gone...they are already adapting to take woodpigeon. thats the one species they'll never dent the no.s of.

 

 

 

spars eaten woodpigeons for years, its magpies they are now turning to which is very good news.the female is the only one which is able to take such large quarry.

[Guest challengerlofts]

Hi

 

Thanks for your reply, this is what i'm interested in seeing. The different side to the argument, they is plenty of research out there about Sparrowhawks from scientists like Ian Newton... However this only shows one side, i am hoping to be completely unbiased in my dissertation and provide the facts and different points of view. It seems there's not much about Sparrowhawks causing problems, like you are suggesting.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Beth

 

 

Hi Beth,,, here's another one. It was her's second time already lucky escape from vicious sparrowhawks. The first one, came back home from training with only 4 tails left on it. The second was just doin' the exercise. Luckily manage to come back home like that & till now still alive. Now, is it seems there's not much about Sparrowhawks causing problems? Just look at it, if you don't mind. Thank you

 

[Guest stb-]

Hi Beth,,, here's another one. It was her's second time already lucky escape from vicious sparrowhawks. The first one, came back home from training with only 4 tails left on it. The second was just doin' the exercise. Luckily manage to come back home like that & till now still alive. Now, is it seems there's not much about Sparrowhawks causing problems? Just look at it, if you don't mind. Thank you

 

this pigeon was killed half hour after being timed in from race , it topped fed

 

not a fan of sparrow hawks

[just ask me]

sorry to hear of these attacks lads we have all had them at this stage its so frustationg to see your birds being killed around your lofts

 

 

you must have been gutted stb fed winner in all :angry:

[Guest stb-]

sorry to hear of these attacks lads we have all had them at this stage its so frustationg to see your birds being killed around your lofts

 

 

you must have been gutted stb fed winner in all :angry:

its not the first time and wont be the last nowadays lost 36 birds over the winter last year one hen had 5x 1st fed sickens you so it does , its epademic here now

[Guest Tooshy Boy]

EYE FOR AN EYE.

[Guest Owen]

bluemorning, I have to admire your optimism and your ideas on how to reduce the threats from Spars. I think I may have a better idea, at least it suits me. If and when I find that I am the target for a Spar, I will remove the Spar. I have made up my mind that I am entitled to keep and race my pigeons. Regardless of the RSPB propergander about flying rats, I am fully entitled to carry on caring for my birds, and as such I will do what I have to do to protect them. I simply will not sit back and complain or look for easy solutions, I will just get rid of the menace. While I am about it, if the menace decides to attack the numerous small birds, doves or wood pigeons that my wife and I have encouraged to frequent out garden, I will deal with that in the same way. Why should a minority of mugs dictate to the rest of us how we should live. We have lost the skylarks and many other species to the Falcon because the mugs have decided that they would prefer the Falcon to species such as the lapwing, red grouse and the woodcock. The mugs say that it is down to farming methods, which is a downright and deliberate lie. Farming methods on the mountains of Wales have not changed a jot for time immemorial but nevertheless the mugs can convince the ignorant that they are right. More recently, we are now pestered by the ever growing numbers of Gos that were introduced by the mugs. They are now targeting, not only pigeons, but also domestic livestock. In my opinion, I think we really have to fight back because, to me, enough is enough. For those who read this, and who may think that it is risky to write the sort of thing that I have written here, it is worth remembering that the British Court system still requires evidence in order to charge someone with an offence.

[Guest stb-]

let birds out this morning , went down to house to fill drinkers came back 5 mins later and sparr hen was eatomg one in front of loft , terrible the damage they do in 5 mins ripping

[sapper756]

let birds out this morning , went down to house to fill drinkers came back 5 mins later and sparr hen was eatomg one in front of loft , terrible the damage they do in 5 mins ripping http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/angry.gifhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/angry.gif

 

 

Not good newshttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif did you apprehend the culprit?http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

[cemetary]

let birds out this morning , went down to house to fill drinkers came back 5 mins later and sparr hen was eatomg one in front of loft , terrible the damage they do in 5 mins ripping

 

 

Hope you put it oot its misery after this happened Bobe,

[eastcoaster]

let birds out this morning , went down to house to fill drinkers came back 5 mins later and sparr hen was eatomg one in front of loft , terrible the damage they do in 5 mins ripping

 

gutted for you mate , try hanging a Disco Ball from your loft on a bracket on a pole about 2 ft above the loft the sparrow hawks get too confused to make an attack beleive me it work`s the doo`s get used to it flickering in the sunlight , you can get them out the gadget shop £8

[cemetary]

gutted for you mate , try hanging a Disco Ball from your loft on a bracket on a pole about 2 ft above the loft the sparrow hawks get too confused to make an attack beleive me it work`s the doo`s get used to it flickering in the sunlight , you can get them out the gadget shop £8

 

 

Ave got the CDS on each corner owe ma huts, and also the terror eye ball, havent seen wan since i put them up, so i think things like this works.

 

Every thing is worth a go to try and keep the birds safe from them.

[PATTY BHOY]

put cds over ma m8s fish pond to keep the heron away,but it still comes any ideas.

[sapper756]

put cds over ma m8s fish pond to keep the heron away,but it still comes any ideas.

 

 

aye, put Daniel O Donnell cd,s there, that will scare everything awayhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gifhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gifhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif

[cemetary]

put cds over ma m8s fish pond to keep the heron away,but it still comes any ideas.

 

 

Get rid owe the fish,

 

This is aboot oor doos ya DAFTY, no fish, or herons,

 

A pic owe you, that will dae the trick,

[OLDYELLOW]

get a decoy heron there solitary birds so wouldnt join another other option is net the pond

[Guest stb-]

BETTER TRY GUNS N ROSES