Sparrow Hawk Is Doing My Head In

[holmsidelofts]

Had 3 hits on my birds this week by sparrowhawks with 3 successful kills, by the time i start racing i wont have many birds left at this rate.

 

bloody menaces.

 

jas.

[Guest Tooshy Boy]

Had 3 hits on my birds this week by sparrowhawks with 3 successful kills, by the time i start racing i wont have many birds left at this rate.

 

bloody menaces.

 

jas.

DOBY THE PIGEON UP AND GIVE ITS LAST FEED.///

 

DOBY THE PIGEON UP AND GIVE THE HAWK ITS LAST FEED :

[Guest bristolkev]

get a nice strong fish tank...

[alex wight]

I,m using the calling of an eagle owl on cd, which appears to help. I was hammered with the hen and cock sparrow hawk, also the peregrine from Mossmoran, and whether its down to luck or the cd, i,ve not had a hit touch wood.

[Fly_caster]

It's been posted many times about how to take care of this problem - seems like people prefer to moan about it rather than actually do something about their problem.

 

I sympathise with your situation but - in reality - you are the only one who can sort it.

 

 

PM me if you wish.

 

 

Best of luck.

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Steve

[bluey]

Could anyone post the details of how to download/obtain the eagle owl cd.

 

My birds have been attacked by sparrowhawks recently, I have put cds/discs around the loft which seem to be working as a deterrant for now.

 

Would like a bit of insurance.

[Fly_caster]

Eagle Owl CD is but a deterrent, and the hawks will get used to it and it becomes like all of the other deterrents - useless.

 

I heard this morning of a pigeon that was taken as it perched on a speaker which was positioned on top of the loft.

 

Just be careful.

 

 

Steve

[Guest bluemorning]

sorry to hear of your trouble mate,i have put posts on here before at the risk of being boring her we go.try not to let your birds out at the same time every day as the spar will soon learn this,training tosses for a week to try and break the spars habit,dont leave birds unattended get them in as soon as they land.check the sky for spars quartering extra care when its sunny as spars use the glare of the sun to launch attacks and watch any nearby trees as the spar will use trees for ambush and get good momentum from a high vantage point,clap your hands make a noise this is enough to scare them off.if the spar kills she will come back and keep trying.the female spar should be going to nest and needs to increase her weight by a third,so almost to fat to take a pigeon now.you could have a young unpaired female from last year if so she will be trouble so you must do your best to reduce her chances now so she will look elsewhere.our friend the swallows and house martins will be back in a month and every time you hear the alarm call from them you bet your life that its a bop.pot owls tape recordings waste of time.spar hits are reducing now as nesting starts she will be brought food from the male so will be out of action for a few months thats why i think you have a unpaird female on your hands,if you deal with her now you could help to save young birds.ive tried the above and its worked for me touch wood hope it helps. best of luck martin

[hawked again]

Could anyone post the details of how to download/obtain the eagle owl cd.

 

My birds have been attacked by sparrowhawks recently, I have put cds/discs around the loft which seem to be working as a deterrant for now.

 

Would like a bit of insurance.

 

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Bubo&species=bubo

 

I gave copy of the Eagle Owl cd to my whole club last year, no one used it. The neighbours would go mental and want rid of the doos. Letting the birds out at different times of the day has not helped me in the slightest. Last year the only way to exercise my birds was to put them in the basket and head east. This was great for three days then she started ambushing them as they returned to the loft.

The sparrow hawk hedge hops so someone suggested mono filament just above the tops of fences and hedges but with the wind we get up here even in the summer the doos when returning from training or racing sometimes clear my hedge by just a few inches so that’s that idea out the window as well. There is no legal answer to the sparrow hawk.

There are reports of BOP found poisoned in the Highlands every month, whether it’s true or just made up by the RSBP, I don’t know, but if it is true, the RSPB could stop it instantly by allowing problem BOPs to be trapped or shot. This way only one bird is harmed and not the whole food chain. These jokers haven’t not got a clue.

The report by DEFRA, RSPA and SNH said that the BOPs had no affect on racing pigeons but at the same time suggested a second loft with less valuable birds to feed the hawks. Do these people even know what they are saying? If hawks don’t bother the doos then what’s this thing I keep seeing ripping mine to bits? The sad thing is the public believe them so we haven’t got a hope in H*ll.

[Guest bluemorning]

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Bubo&species=bubo

 

I gave copy of the Eagle Owl cd to my whole club last year, no one used it. The neighbours would go mental and want rid of the doos. Letting the birds out at different times of the day has not helped me in the slightest. Last year the only way to exercise my birds was to put them in the basket and head east. This was great for three days then she started ambushing them as they returned to the loft.

The sparrow hawk hedge hops so someone suggested mono filament just above the tops of fences and hedges but with the wind we get up here even in the summer the doos when returning from training or racing sometimes clear my hedge by just a few inches so that’s that idea out the window as well. There is no legal answer to the sparrow hawk.

There are reports of BOP found poisoned in the Highlands every month, whether it’s true or just made up by the RSBP, I don’t know, but if it is true, the RSPB could stop it instantly by allowing problem BOPs to be trapped or shot. This way only one bird is harmed and not the whole food chain. These jokers haven’t not got a clue.

The report by DEFRA, RSPA and SNH said that the BOPs had no affect on racing pigeons but at the same time suggested a second loft with less valuable birds to feed the hawks. Do these people even know what they are saying? If hawks don’t bother the doos then what’s this thing I keep seeing ripping mine to bits? The sad thing is the public believe them so we haven’t got a hope in H*ll.

sorry to hear of your problem mate a lot can depend on the area around your loft if its that bad try and keep them in with the odd basket work thrown in.keep altering times and if you can watch for the spar visiting you note times and avoid theseit may take a week or two but when the spars sucsses rate drops her attacks will drop,had trouble in 2009 with a few attacks tried my last and almost attack free since,i was lucky she didnt kill one of mine but found a shed full of fantails to eat.she had 4 in a few weeks untill the owner took my advice and stopped the free loft,only out while he in there now but she had another 2 weeks ago.best of luck mate

 

sorry to hear of your problem mate a lot can depend on the area around your loft if its that bad try and keep them in with the odd basket work thrown in.keep altering times and if you can watch for the spar visiting you note times and avoid theseit may take a week or two but when the spars sucsses rate drops her attacks will drop,had trouble in 2009 with a few attacks tried my last post above and almost attack free since,i was lucky she didnt kill one of mine but found a shed full of fantails to eat.she had 4 in a few weeks untill the owner took my advice and stopped the free loft,only out while he in there now but she had another 2 weeks ago.best of luck mate

[TREBLE D]

Solway feeders do great larson trapps for magpies and spring trapps for ratts use your imagination and stop been the victom protect your birds was hit two times three weeks ago but the problems gone now but the poor tumbler looks a bag of nerves

[Guest Owen]

Jas,

if I remeber correctly there are some hawthorn trees behind your loft which are ideal cover for a Spar. If you need my chainsaw to drop them down to a better level, just call in, you are very welcolm.

Owen

[Allan]

had this problem ourselves but since wee installed a becon light no more problem that was three years ago

[Guest bluemorning]

had this problem ourselves but since wee installed a becon light no more problem that was three years ago

 

 

good post mate, bit more info would be help to many people.

cheers

martin