Shiny Hings And Hawks

Rooster J. Cogburn · February 6, 2013

My neighbours put a rotating mirrored ornament in their front garden a few months back-around 40ft from our loft.

Since they put this up I have not had a sparrow hawk at the loft with the exception of one day. This day came after a windy spell where the thing was blown over. They have a couple of young Japanese Akitas that are always up to mischief, nothing can be left lying or they are away with it :lol: . They took the ornament round the side of the house that day and sure enough there was a sparrow hawk visited the loft.

Since its been put back up I have not seen as much as a feather of them, there are however lofts a mile or so away who have had birds pinned recently and I have seen a sparrow hawk close by when driving on roads near the loft.

Is there something in this or am I kidding myself on?

Any body used any of the cds or shiny tapes as deterrants? do they work?

wee eck · February 6, 2013

My neighbours put a rotating mirrored ornament in their front garden a few months back-around 40ft from our loft.

Since they put this up I have not had a sparrow hawk at the loft with the exception of one day. This day came after a windy spell where the thing was blown over. They have a couple of young Japanese Akitas that are always up to mischief, nothing can be left lying or they are away with it . They took the ornament round the side of the house that day and sure enough there was a sparrow hawk visited the loft.

Since its been put back up I have not seen as much as a feather of them, there are however lofts a mile or so away who have had birds pinned recently and I have seen a sparrow hawk close by when driving on roads near the loft.

Is there something in this or am I kidding myself on?

Any body used any of the cds or shiny tapes as deterrants? do they work?

any chance of you taking a photo of the shiny hing ?

Rooster J. Cogburn · February 6, 2013

I'm not great at uploading pictures from phones/cameras but managed to find it online there

Its pretty much identical to this

I'm not great at uploading pictures from phones/cameras but managed to find it online there

Its pretty much identical to this

It doesn't take a lot of wind to make the wee mirrors rotate,it spins pretty much all day

Kyleakin Lofts · February 6, 2013

I have heard that this works, but like all the deterrants, it only works for a period of time until the BOP becomes used to it. I think what you require to do is to use all the deterrants and change to a different one once they become used to the one you are currently using. It also pays to remove hedges, etc which can camoflage the approach of sparrow-hawks.

peter pandy · February 6, 2013

Used the bird deterrants supplied by Dazer for years and never had an attack. Have even had the goshawk turn into a dive and swerve away when it saw them. Last year a peregrine was making its way to-wards the loft and shied away 1/4 mile out. They work but fanciers would rather complain than take action at Â£15 per deterrant. I even have the garden multicoloured windmills to try this year at Â£2.50 from garden centres, Problem so far with them is they take of like helicopters in a high wind and the birds dont like them. Perhaps over time..

February 6, 2013

Used the bird deterrants supplied by Dazer for years and never had an attack. Have even had the goshawk turn into a dive and swerve away when it saw them. Last year a peregrine was making its way to-wards the loft and shied away 1/4 mile out. They work but fanciers would rather complain than take action at Â£15 per deterrant. I even have the garden multicoloured windmills to try this year at Â£2.50 from garden centres, Problem so far with them is they take of like helicopters in a high wind and the birds dont like them. Perhaps over time..

is it the balloon thing with eyes on it ?

http://www.dazer.com/images/magpie%20ball%20small.jpg

PIGEON_MAN · February 6, 2013

My neighbours put a rotating mirrored ornament in their front garden a few months back-around 40ft from our loft.

Since they put this up I have not had a sparrow hawk at the loft with the exception of one day. This day came after a windy spell where the thing was blown over. They have a couple of young Japanese Akitas that are always up to mischief, nothing can be left lying or they are away with it . They took the ornament round the side of the house that day and sure enough there was a sparrow hawk visited the loft.

Since its been put back up I have not seen as much as a feather of them, there are however lofts a mile or so away who have had birds pinned recently and I have seen a sparrow hawk close by when driving on roads near the loft.

Is there something in this or am I kidding myself on?

Any body used any of the cds or shiny tapes as deterrants? do they work?

Visited a fancier down in Oxford a couple of years ago and he had half a dozen mirror balls hung up around his garden,he swoore by them and said the bop would fly right over his garden and not bother with his birds,but a guy who lived over the back of him was always getting his birds hit by the hawks.

greenlands · February 6, 2013

Old cd's hung round the loft might do the same trick ??

THE FIFER · February 6, 2013

I was told by a farmer that BOP have binocular vision and mirrors or shiny objects put them off

buster151 · February 6, 2013

I'm not great at uploading pictures from phones/cameras but managed to find it online there

Its pretty much identical to this

It doesn't take a lot of wind to make the wee mirrors rotate,it spins pretty much all day

I had some similar things from the pound shop, just hung from front of loft

peter pandy · February 6, 2013

is it the balloon thing with eyes on it ?

http://www.dazer.com/images/magpie%20ball%20small.jpg

Yes thats them.

peter pandy · February 6, 2013

Old cd's hung round the loft might do the same trick ??

Pal of mine had them waste of time still hit with 20 strung out along the loft..

THE FIFER · February 6, 2013

I think the best would be one of those large chrome mirror things they use in driveways and shops, they reflect from all angles

February 6, 2013

My neighbours put a rotating mirrored ornament in their front garden a few months back-around 40ft from our loft.

Since they put this up I have not had a sparrow hawk at the loft with the exception of one day. This day came after a windy spell where the thing was blown over. They have a couple of young Japanese Akitas that are always up to mischief, nothing can be left lying or they are away with it . They took the ornament round the side of the house that day and sure enough there was a sparrow hawk visited the loft.

Since its been put back up I have not seen as much as a feather of them, there are however lofts a mile or so away who have had birds pinned recently and I have seen a sparrow hawk close by when driving on roads near the loft.

Is there something in this or am I kidding myself on?

Any body used any of the cds or shiny tapes as deterrants? do they work?

work for a short while untill they discover they wont get harmed , they fly past closer every day to see it they get hit by the mirror cd etc , but like the dummy owls they end up sitting on top of they :crying:

February 7, 2013

it may also help by moving deterents around the garden not leaving them in one place also alter shape and size and as said in another post swap things about take some down and put alternatives up every couple of weeks but the female spar will need to start gaining weight very soon and the best thing is to keep them in as much as possible change exercise times good luck everyone.