Chicks wiped out (AGAIN) (2 Viewers)

[Denise Stabler]

Our first blackbird fledgling was spotted in the garden a few days ago, so at least it has successfully made it out of the nest and into the world. It is pretty big and being fed exclusively by the male. The female seems completely uninterested in it and is busy feeding her own face and, I think, building a new nest.

We have no magpies around here but plenty of sparrowhawks and kestrels, the latter of which I saw trying to attack a mistle thrush nest - the thrushes successfully got rid of them.

We do have a couple of cats about but if they go near the birds I throw stones at them and they run home (they are the cissy type rather than dedicated killing machines). Other birds currently nesting in the garden include house sparrows (numerous), starlings (lots), song thrush, wren, blue tit and greenfinches.

 

[Andy Bright]

Do what I did. Get yourself a natural cat scarer....A nice big Airedale Terrier. then when it kills the cats you can tell their caring owners that after all "it's only natural to hunt".

Quite a good subject for my first post!

Hi Nick-on, on behalf of all the moderators and admin.... welcome to Bird Forum. Hope you enjoy your time here and it's great to see you getting right into the 'hot topics' straight away :t:

Absolutely right, no better cat scarer than a dog. A stiff price to pay for someone like myself who doesn't really get on with dogs.... can you get them on short time hire? renta-fido 3
Andy

 

[JaneDD]

cats again!

Hi! I am new to this forum too. I am also fairly new to serious birdwatching and can't understand why it took me so long! On the subject of cats, I found a robin's nest in our coal-shed, right next to a pile of straw,where our cat usually sleeps, when out at night!Everything went ok until this morning, when I found the nest on the ground with no sign of the occupants. I love our cat but I don't think we will ever get another one! Jane

 

[Andy Bright]

Hi Jane, a big BF welcome to you from all the moderators and admin here, hope you're enjoying the forums.
sorry to hear another feline related tale of woe. The Robins will doubtless try again, maybe you could try keeping your cat inside.

Indoor cats generally live longer than outdoor cats.... that's standard birder talk to cat owners, god knows if it's true Though around here, we have the M1 and M25 within one mile .... so it probably would be the case in Watford.
Andy

 

[Angela]

I still think it is a shame that bird lovers have to be cat haters. I had a cat that was shot and killed by an air gun pellet a couple of years ago. I like to think of myself as a lover of all animals and wildlife, I don't see why having a love of birds should make you treat other animals so appallingly.

 

[jeff]

Absolutely right, no better cat scarer than a dog. A stiff price to pay for someone like myself who doesn't really get on with dogs.... can you get them on short time hire? renta-fido 3
Andy

Try guide dogs for the blind, they'll let you have one for the weekend

As for bird lovers and cat lovers, there are some I would say aren't even bird lovers, birding in an obsession for some and the birds welfare is the last thing on their mind, so what chance have cats got.

 

[simondix]

As for bird lovers and cat lovers, there are some I would say aren't even bird lovers, birding in an obsession for some and the birds welfare is the last thing on their mind, so what chance have cats got. [/B][/QUOTE]


Quite right. Then its Sparrowhawks, Peregrines and the list goes on.

 

[winkle]

Jeff,

Something we agree on!

 

[jeff]

Jeff,

Something we agree on!

Shame we all don't.......

 

[simondix]

Today when I was out I found a male Bullfinch sitting in the gutter at Studley, Warwickshire. Probable RTA. I took it to Vale Wildlife at Beckford, Worcestershire. When we talk about cats killing birds, what about cars and wildlife. Over 30,000 Badgers are killed a year in England and Wales alone. Think of all the birds that are killed and bounced out of sight into hedgerows and long grass that you don't see flattened. Are we all going to give up our cars then!

 

[Swift]

It all comes down to the human race doing what they want driving cars , owning cats , using resources , the only option ...have no children ,die young.........as little damage to the world as possibe!

 

[simondix]

You're quite right. The cat problem could be lessened if more people spayed and neutered their cats as well. I agree with three of the options above.

 

[Kiki]

Cats and Magpies - the scourge of nesting birds everywhere. Magpies we can't, or perhaps shouldn't ,do much about (at least their presence is a natural occurrence). Cats, well if they come into my garden they'll think twice about it the next time. I hate them with a passion almost equal to my love of birds.
Perhaps the cat lovers should be spayed and neutered then they can't breed more damned cat lovers.
If I let my dog (not that I have one anymore) roam the neighbourhood at night, there would be a few complaints I can bet, but no.one complains about these murdering bl**dy felines. Didn't expect this kind of response from a woman did you!

 

[Denise Stabler]

Hey Kiki Girl - chill out OK - it'll do you good

 

[Kiki]

Oh that's right, I'm a woman and not allowed to have strong feelings about this kind of thing. Gotta dash, cookies are nearly ready and I've a sink full of dishes that won't wash themselves.

 

[seb_seb]

I saw a dead blackbird and woodpigeon on irmigham road today

As someone said on this earlier: WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLIES GONE?...Although predation is big isse...it has always been there(Maybe not i such numbers) but more of a worry is food shortages......if theres no food the theres no predation.

Maybe if people stopped killing all kinds of "weeds" in gardens...then there would be more insects for garden birds to feed on.
Ill use a phrase TOny(hello) said to me " b&Q desert gardens with foreign flowers"

 

[Angela]

Oh for goodness sake! Get a grip will you.

I have only found this site in the last couple of days and I have been amazed by it, it seems full of really helpful people, some excellent photographers and loads of information. I am upset to find though the same people who seem so friendly, are likely to be taking pot shots at my cats.

Today my daughter found a broken egg in the middle of our lawn, I am assuming that it was probably dropped by a magpie. This is apparently ok. However, if it had been my cat caught playing with the egg this would be an offence where shooting at it, throwing stones at it etc would be acceptable.

Unfortunately, hunting is in a cats nature. I don't like it but it is a sad fact of life. Going out with a weapon, of any sort, in order to harm another living creature is not natural and anyone who thinks it is, should be bl**dy well ashamed of themselves.

I'm beginning to think that this is not the forum for me, as I cannot warm to people who think that being cruel to animals is ok.

 

[Kiki]

I don't think anyone is advocating being cruel to animals Angela - I wouldn't make a serious comment about shooting anything. However, as I said before, if a cat comes into my garden it will think twice about it next time. Not only do they decimate any nesting birds, they leave little 'parcels' around the place - if a dog did that, the owners would be fined. Cat owners want it all ways - they want people to believe their animals are cute, cuddly, friendly and hygenic and want to release them on the neighbourhood without any comeback from others. They then start whining when people don't agree with them. This is after all a Bird Forum.

 

[Angela]

I think you'll find Kiki that dog owners do let their dogs foul the footpaths on a pretty regular basis, and I've yet to hear of anyone round here being fined for it.

I don't release my cats on to the neighbourhood either, they go out in my garden. I've never known them to go any further.

Finally, yes you are right, this is a bird forum. I notice you have only made 3 posts and you haven't mentioned birds at all, just gone on about your hatred for cats. If anyones whining - its you.

I am not an agressive person and it is not in my nature to go out looking for trouble, least of all here, so this is the last I will be saying on this matter.

 

[Steve]

Cats Kill birds, mice , anything small enough that makes a noise or moves,Both cats and dogs dump all over the camp, we are never going to agree, about cat owners dog owners, bird lovers, cat haters etc etc etc etc ............

so this age old argument will go on long after we have checked out on a future forum on mars , so we will leave it as a draw here.

I myself run a goldfish, doesn't eat a lot , and doesnt drink its water much either.