Topic: Tragedy.

[telboy]

We have a song thrush nesting in a honeysuckle about 7' up and have been watching the comings & goings through our lounge window.
Two days ago a small chick was on the ground under the nest. This morning three larger chicks were scattered about in the same area. We're both really saddened.
Does anyone have any idea what may have happened?

[Hyacinth]

Magpies are killers....might they be the culprits?

[shirlton]

Magpies are such beautiful oriental looking birds but they are deadly. Like Alishka say's they are deadly

[honeybee]

My blue tits had their home/nest wrecked too and have disappeared be seen again, its devestating  :'(

[ninnyscrops]

Yup, magpies. They've had our blackbird babies too!  >:(

[Rohaise]

 Now we have magpies ,,,but we also have kestrals .perigrine falcons and buzzards here in Cornwall ....they are all magnificent birds and that is wildlife for you....just make sure you put the nesting boxes up in the correct place as advised by the RSPB and lovely Bill Oddie.   Dont stop feeding or putting water out for them.        It,s the domestic cat that makes me MAD !
                                                                         Rohaise   

[emmy1978]

I concur with magpies.  Beautiful but evil! They also like to nip the birds head off. I had a neighbour once who had nest boxes. She was bird mad so fortunately we didn't have a cat then! I started finding all these little bird heads and bodies everywhere, one day spotted it up on her chimney pecking away at a bird head.
Horrible.
My cat not fussed about birds but she brings me plenty of mice and loves to chase squirrels.  :o

[Tin Shed]

Having lunch in the garden today and suddenly heard the blackbirds creating like mad - a couple of magpies were after their nest.Black wizened quince thrown at magpies, who went away, but I know they will be back. I know it is nature and all that but it was so distressing to listen to.

[valmarg]

Whilst I agree re magpies, would also say that other members of the crow family will raid birds' nests.

There is of course the american tree rat (aka grey squirrel) which does as much, if not more, damage to the songbird population.

valmarg

[ninnyscrops]

Hubby has just run down the garden chasing off a magpie that landed on the rose arch.  He's getting very protective of our mummy blackbird as we think she has laid another clutch.  He even stood guard for five minutes making sure it didn't come back.  Who says men aren't great softies.  ;)

[telboy]

I do appreciate your replies.
We do have Magpies in this area but have had no problems before.
I will do 'a little sorting' from now on.
Many thanks!

[telboy]

Hi again,
Each day now, another Magpie in our rear garden. The poor birds under 'attack' make a 'racket' but as soon as I scoot out with my AK47, the s*d disappears.
I've been told of a trap which I'm willing to buy.
Any info. please? I do understand that magpies are vermin!

[Joe11]

Hi, the trap is called a larsen trap. But head shots with a air rifle should do the job. But be carful about the law if you live in a built up area. Some one may report ya and i think you could get in some trouble, if the cops really wanted ya too.

[Marymary]

The other day I was in the garden & all the little birds were very excited about something, a minute later I saw a magpie flying out of a big tree with a baby bird in its beak, it was hotly persued by an adult male blackbird which was screaming at it.  They both disappeared over the rooftops.  Wish I'd had an AK47 handy.

[MrsKP]

I had the same thing the other day too.  Evil magpie disappeared empty beaked on that occasion, but we have plenty around here so the blackbirds have a constant battle.

 :'(

[manicscousers]

we have a problem with them at the moment on the plot..we have song thrushes nesting and , between the magpies and the crows, the mum and dad have a full time job chasing them off  :)

[asbean]

We keep a high-velocity water pistol at the ready.  The magpies haven't been as bad this year, and we seem to have more babies as a result.  The cats don't catch too many birds, they prefer mice or carp from the pond next door.  But a couple of years ago one of my cats had a fight with a magpie.  He won, but it cost a lot in vets bills, as all the pecks he had on his chest and front legs became infected and he had a high temperature, so was on antibiotics and anti inflammatories and it was about a week before he was back to normal.