Anyone else noticed changed behaviour of wildlife?

[Digit]

by the way harris hawks arent a native species to the uk

Yeah I know, and I could even give a name to the place that lost them I reckon.

Roy.

 

[Digit]

one seemingly hovering it is actually riding an updraft on a hillside

That confirms my observations. We have number of glacial Moraines around here and they are pretty much pure sand. Being also steep they are unploughable so produce only Gorse, Moles and Rabbits and a hovering Buzzard is a common site, and from my model slope soaring days I was pretty certain they were using the up current, but they do actually hover in that up welling as well as slipping along the ridge.

Roy.

 

[Tony Spear]

My comment on raptors stands.

well you are entitled to your view - but the facts dont suport it - what i dont get tho is why you dont consider the raptors to be garden birds too, they are just doing what comes naturally and there arent that many (protection from persecution doesnt stop them dying in other ways after all, all it has done is restore the predator/prey balance to its natural equilibrium)

Wot about all them bloody Red Kites around Nettlebed, Turville, Russells Water etc? With all the idiots feeding them on the garage roofs, that certainly ain't natural equilibrium!

What concerns me is that as they now appear to be expanding westwards into my area the Buzzards seem to be moving out. I've no actual evidence for this, but purely from my observations over the last 5 or 6 years. I used to see lots of Buzzards around here, but as the sighting of Red Kites has increased I'm seeing far fewer Buzzards.

 

[RogerS]

......- are you sure you werent looking at a peregrine ?

:shock: Definitely not. Size, wing shape, colouring, proportions are totally different.

 

[big soft moose]

My comment on raptors stands.

well you are entitled to your view - but the facts dont suport it - what i dont get tho is why you dont consider the raptors to be garden birds too, they are just doing what comes naturally and there arent that many (protection from persecution doesnt stop them dying in other ways after all, all it has done is restore the predator/prey balance to its natural equilibrium)

Wot about all them bloody Red Kites around Nettlebed, Turville, Russells Water etc? With all the idiots feeding them on the garage roofs, that certainly ain't natural equilibrium!

What concerns me is that as they now appear to be expanding westwards into my area the Buzzards seem to be moving out. I've no actual evidence for this, but purely from my observations over the last 5 or 6 years. I used to see lots of Buzzards around here, but as the sighting of Red Kites has increased I'm seeing far fewer Buzzards.

true , but then neither is the feeding of garden birds - chances are all the populations would be a lot lower without suplementary feeding from people who like watching them.

on the second point kites and buzzards should be able to co exist - certainly if you go to rhayadder in mid wales which was the stronghold of the red kite before the reintros in england there are hundreds of kites and also numerous buzzards.

the only time they would conflict would be if there wasnt enough carrion to go arround, but given that people are feeding the kites that doesnt seem likely.

 

[Lons]

Is it not reasonable to assume that all birds of prey are opportunists and that they will accept a potential meal if it presents itself.

I live in the country and our feeders are located in apple trees close to thick wild hedging so plenty of escape routes.
We have around 700mtrs of mixed hedging, loads of trees and ivy, wildlife pond and our paddock is full of fieldmice so there is a huge variety of small nesting birds.

I have personally witnessed:-

A tawny owl trying to feed on carrion (a small rabbit). not sure how it managed as I thought they swallowed everything whole!

Sprawk take a wren (WTF). this was a female who usually takes our resident collared doves.

Kestrel chase a sparrow into the ivy on our house and hook it out with its' tallons!

I don't begrudge them as it's life but I really dont like the increase I've seen in magpies and crows / rooks. the magpies certainly take their toll of bird eggs and chicks and I'd shoot the buggers if i was allowed.

Interestingly, despite the red kite release program 25 miles away we have never seen one but in the last 3 or 4 years have had a significant increase in buzzard activity.

Bob

 

[RogerS]

...... I'd shoot the buggers if i was allowed.

......

You are unless it's SWMBO sayng No.

 

[xy mosian]

Fascinating thread guys. Thank you.

As an aside I worked with a young, lovely, lady from Sri Lanka. Her english was very good, but she did not have a wide vocbulary. Seeing a Kestrel hovering she asked 'What is that bird balancing on the air?' A phrase nearly as beautiful as her eyes.

xy

 

[big soft moose]

...... I'd shoot the buggers if i was allowed.

......

You are unless it's SWMBO sayng No.

not necessarily - since the CRoW act 200 (countryside and rightsof way - nothing to do with corvids ) the vermin register has been replaced with the "general licence" which allows landowners and their agents to control the listed species by humane methods (shooting or larsen traps for crows) but only if they have good reason - good reason being defined as them causing material damage or harm to you , your livestock , livelihood, or property.

Therefore a farmer can shoot corvids that are taking his seeds or attacking his livestock (or to prevent them doing the same), as can a gamekeeper - and a nature reserve could control them to protect rare bird nests as this would come under the livelihood clause (ie that if the rare species dont breed people wont visit) - but yoyu cant shoot them in your garden solely because you dont like them

(you can however shoot or trap squirels, rats etc which are causing material damage to your house etc)

 

[RogerS]

And not sure if they are early but today our first pair of swallows have returned. So not quite summer :wink:

 

[Digit]

Well Moose I work it this way. More Magpies or Squirrels in my garden equals less insectivores, equals more Aphids etc, equals more pesticide use, equals less Bees etc therebye causing material damage or harm.
Where's my gun?

Roy.

 

[Lons]

...... I'd shoot the buggers if i was allowed.

......

You are unless it's SWMBO sayng No.

not necessarily - since the CRoW act 200 (countryside and rightsof way - nothing to do with corvids ) the vermin register has been replaced with the "general licence" which allows landowners and their agents to control the listed species by humane methods (shooting or larsen traps for crows) but only if they have good reason - good reason being defined as them causing material damage or harm to you , your livestock , livelihood, or property.

Therefore a farmer can shoot corvids that are taking his seeds or attacking his livestock (or to prevent them doing the same), as can a gamekeeper - and a nature reserve could control them to protect rare bird nests as this would come under the livelihood clause (ie that if the rare species dont breed people wont visit) - but yoyu cant shoot them in your garden solely because you dont like them

(you can however shoot or trap squirels, rats etc which are causing material damage to your house etc)

Aw c'mon Moose!

RogerS gives me hope and I'm busy digging out the air rifle and then you go and stamp all over it!

Pretty much what I thought anyway and I can't justify it.
I do actually smack off the odd pellet but I don't aim AT them. (my aim is so bad, I'm surprised I haven't hit one yet )

Had a couple of goes at the heron as well.

Bob

ps i would NEVER shoot them but I HATE cats as well! What they do to birds anyway. My neighbours tom catches hundreds - pity you can't train them to catch moles instead.

 

[Digit]

I don't know how the figure is arrived at but felines are reckoned to kill millions of small birds a year.

Roy.

 

[big soft moose]

as a practical matter no one gives a monkeys if you do shoot crows and magpies, but its as well to be aware of the law as it only takes one jobsworth to make life difficult

the obvious defence is either that they are damaging your vegetable/ fruit plot (and thus causing you a material loss) , or that they have in the past nested on your chimney causing material damage.

using an air rifle in the garden the real key is to ensure that all pellets stay within the confines of your garden - as if not you fracture the firearms laws , which has a lot more serious consequences than infringing the CROW act

 

[Tony Spear]

My comment on raptors stands.

well you are entitled to your view - but the facts dont suport it - what i dont get tho is why you dont consider the raptors to be garden birds too, they are just doing what comes naturally and there arent that many (protection from persecution doesnt stop them dying in other ways after all, all it has done is restore the predator/prey balance to its natural equilibrium)

Wot about all them bloody Red Kites around Nettlebed, Turville, Russells Water etc? With all the idiots feeding them on the garage roofs, that certainly ain't natural equilibrium!

What concerns me is that as they now appear to be expanding westwards into my area the Buzzards seem to be moving out. I've no actual evidence for this, but purely from my observations over the last 5 or 6 years. I used to see lots of Buzzards around here, but as the sighting of Red Kites has increased I'm seeing far fewer Buzzards.

true , but then neither is the feeding of garden birds - chances are all the populations would be a lot lower without suplementary feeding from people who like watching them.

on the second point kites and buzzards should be able to co exist - certainly if you go to rhayadder in mid wales which was the stronghold of the red kite before the reintros in england there are hundreds of kites and also numerous buzzards.

the only time they would conflict would be if there wasnt enough carrion to go arround, but given that people are feeding the kites that doesnt seem likely.

Sorry, I may have misled you there. People aren't feeding them round here, I'm something like 25 miles west of the area I mentioned (which is where the reintroduction project started). The thing is, that over that way where they are feeding them it surely can't be natural when you can stand in a Pub carpark and see as many as 70 in the air at one time?

My concern is that due to the feeding, the chick survival rate is possibly higher than one might normally expect and they may well be oustripping even the (un-natural) food supply and therefore moving out into other areas.
I saw three just down the road from here today and I haven't seen a Buzzard for weeks!

 

[Lons]

as a practical matter no one gives a monkeys if you do shoot crows and magpies, but its as well to be aware of the law as it only takes one jobsworth to make life difficult

the obvious defence is either that they are damaging your vegetable/ fruit plot (and thus causing you a material loss) , or that they have in the past nested on your chimney causing material damage.

using an air rifle in the garden the real key is to ensure that all pellets stay within the confines of your garden - as if not you fracture the firearms laws , which has a lot more serious consequences than infringing the CROW act

yeah, I have a neighbour who could well be awkward even though he's quite happy for his cat to decimate the birdies.

As for the rifle, I am very careful and my house is elevated a good 10ft higher than the paddock and perfectly safe area to shoot towards. I don't think the pellet would reach the far end anyway.

My next door neighbour is a DCI and a great bloke but I wouldn't want to put him in a spot by breaking the law

 

[SimonB]

Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but since there are obviously people here that know I thought I'd take advantage of it. Can someone pls identify this bird, I thought it might be a kestrel, but not sure.

We have several birds of prey in the area that can be seen flying, but this one is a fairly common visitor to our garden. Assuming it's the same bird, my other half has seen it take blackbirds.

Many thanks
Simon

 

[big soft moose]

simon - yep i'm fairly sure its a kestrel.

btw if you are interested in wildlife and such i'd point you towards the other forum i'm involved with www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk loads of knowledgeable people there to answer your questions.

 

[Digit]

Looks like it. One problem we are having with Kites here is the hunting pattern. Normally we see them scanning from high above, but every so often one will come sailing over a hedge and drop down right in front of your car!

Roy.

 

[RogerS]

Anyone see Wonders of the Solar System on light ..specifically uv light? Apparently voles and the like urinate their trails, and the urine reflects a lot of uv light (which voles can see). The brighter the uv trail, the busier the trail ..ie more potential raptor meat. Unfortunately for the voles, some birds of prey are also sensitive to uv light and so they hover or cruise on the thermals looking out for uv trails. I think I remembered it OK.