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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: Mrs Ava on February 13, 2004, 17:51:15

Title: Magpies
Post by: Mrs Ava on February 13, 2004, 17:51:15

I have been using cd's strung on canes or in my apple trees to keep the birds away.  Then, over the autumn and winter I noticed the cds scatterred around my plot.  Curious.  I spoke to the site secretary about it as her garden backs onto the site, and apparently the magpies have been paying a lot of attention to the shiney cds.  Hmmm...defeats the object really doesn't it as I was hoping they would scare the birds, not encourage the big ones!  I think I shall be building a scarecrow.  :-/

Title: Re: Magpies
Post by: eileen on February 13, 2004, 18:37:13

Hi EJ,

The magpies in my garden do the same sort of thing -especially with shiney objects - can be a real pain sometimes.  :-X
They've also found a way of unhooking the fat balls and coconut halves I have hanging from the bird table.
They can't get at them from above so they fly up to them, knock them with their beaks. They do this time and time again  until they dislodge them and the fly off with them. No matter what I try they find a way round it. I suppose it shows how intelligent they are but they're a problem I could do without.

Eileen.

Title: Re: Magpies
Post by: Doris_Pinks on February 13, 2004, 20:54:25

EJ, I have told Di a thousand times not to play with your CD's!!
Do Magpie's eat your veg?? I have wretched pidgeons!! Oh and collared doves. DP

Title: Re: Magpies
Post by: rdak on February 13, 2004, 21:11:12

Well, hopefully the Magpies will keep the pigeons away.

Title: Re: Magpies
Post by: Mrs Ava on February 13, 2004, 23:48:21

Nope, we have trillions of pigeons to, and they are smart...the b*ggers sit on the chaps cabbage coverers and munch the tops out!  In fact, there are birds everywhere!  There were several robins bobbing about as I was weeding today, Jays and Magpies in the trees, Crows flapping overhead and blackbirds....or they could have perhaps been starlings, in my apple trees!  I fear for my seeds, I really do!   :o  At least there are no signs of rabbits.....yet!

Title: Re: Magpies
Post by: MagpieDi on February 14, 2004, 15:42:53

Hey DP and EJ.... leave my darling Magpies alone!!

OK.... so Bobby and the lads are pretty desperate for silverware....but not that desperate!!  ::)  ;D  

(http://www.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=2aea5653-fd0a-1058-78c1-5ac14c4d7880&size=sm) Haway the lads!!

Title: Re: Magpies
Post by: Gardengirl on February 17, 2004, 17:47:51

Never heard of 'the thieving magpie' ;D  that's why I never put anything shiney out as a bird scarer - they just seem to hone in on it.  We have a large hawthorn in our garden and they nest in it every year - you should hear the row first thing in the morning when they all wake up :o

Sorry MagpieDi - no offence ;) :D