magpie callers??

[biglongdarren]

used to have one for calling magpies in,was a green one with built in speaker at the front and loads of other sounds,
thinking of getting a new one,does anybody else use them?they all seem an awful price now though.
Darren.

 

[Storm™]

used to have one for calling magpies in,was a green one with built in speaker at the front and loads of other sounds,
thinking of getting a new one,does anybody else use them?they all seem an awful price now though.
Darren.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/magpie/legal_status.aspx

unless you mean you are feeding them fat balls or the like.........

 

[For want of a better word]

It is illegal even to own a Magpie trap let alone use it under UK legislation!
£1000 fine and 3 months doing BIRD !

my information may be out of date as this was 2002/3 ???a policeman was prosecuted in Devon....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It is illegal even to own a Magpie trap let alone use it under UK legislation!
£1000 fine and 3 months doing BIRD !

my information may be out of date as this was 2002/3 ???a policeman was prosecuted in Devon....

It's not illegal to own a magpie trap, but it must be used properly - the trap used nowadays is the larsen which has two or more chambers - one holding a 'decoy' bird which has been caught previously (some people keep these for years, I believe someone has had his for over 20 and has got quite attached to it!)
There are strict welfare rules (decoy must be properly fed, watered and cared for) and the trap must be checked regularly - at least once a day, and you are not allowed to kill any of the trapped birds in front of the others in case it upsets them.
There's also the post box trap for crows
Any prosecutions regarding these traps have been due to their misuse or for targetting non vermin species such as raptors

 

[Storm™]

It is illegal even to own a Magpie trap let alone use it under UK legislation!
£1000 fine and 3 months doing BIRD !

my information may be out of date as this was 2002/3 ???a policeman was prosecuted in Devon....

My link was dated 2011 however its old legislation. I hear things all the time. Foxes need to die. Only feed worth giving to a fox is lead etc.... but rarely do I hear how they identified the exact culprit.

Here a heron was blamed for taking the goldfish. So wires were put up. Still going. As the weeks went on the numbers dwindled and this heron had become a fixation of hate. Within 10 minutes I found the culprit and it wasnt a heron. It was a water vole or something like that. I have since seen it doing the backstroke with a fish on its belly. Not really it was in its mouth. It drags em out of the water and munches them on the bank. The Heron is now allowed to live. The foxes however still have a death sentence over the manky chicken deaths. Never mind there is a stoat that also pinches frogs out of the pond and circles the chickens. Nope its a fox and it must die. Oh well.

 

[Storm™]

It's not illegal to own a magpie trap, but it must be used properly.............

Magpies, like all other species, are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. This makes it illegal to intentionally or, in Scotland, recklessly take, injure or kill a magpie, or to take, damage or destroy an active nest or its contents. In Northern Ireland, it is illegal to disturb birds at an active nest.

However, the law recognises that in some circumstances control may be necessary. Killing can only be done if specific conditions are met, and only where non-lethal methods of control are ineffective or impractical.

The UK Governments issue annually general licences (for which it is not necessary to apply individually) under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Wildlife Order, some of which allow magpies to be killed or taken by 'authorised persons', using permitted methods, for the purposes of:

preventing serious damage to agricultural crops or livestock
preserving public health
conserving wild birds
preserving air safety.
An 'authorised person' is a landowner or occupier, or someone acting with the landowner's or occupier's permission.

Since general licences are reviewed annually and can be withdrawn or altered at any time, it is recommended that anyone wanting to exercise the licence should first check details on the relevant government department website or contact them for up to date legal advice and the exact terms of the licence.

hmmmm not worth the risk imho.

 

[The Cumbrian]

Within 10 minutes I found the culprit and it wasnt a heron. It was a water vole or something like that.

It is a very rare occurrence for water voles to take animal food they are generally vegetarian. IT has been reported but as I say very rarely. The speculation is that it is due to a protein deficiency.

 

[Storm™]

It is a very rare occurrence for water voles to take animal food they are generally vegetarian. IT has been reported but as I say very rarely. The speculation is that it is due to a protein deficiency.

dont quote me lol. It looks like a water vole type thing. I'm not up on my voles lol. Its about the size of a mole. Bit smaller. Lives in the pond here. Its a very small pond. Bout 30 foot by 30 foot. But full of wildlife and it used to be full of goldfish. Even a dragonfly larvae will take on small goldfish. The heron has never been seen close to the pond and prefers the other end of the garden ... some 60 meters away. There isnt any water there though. Anyhow because herons take fish - it got the blame. But I have seen this thing take several of the larger goldfish. Almost as long as it. And its now had babies because they screech when it comes near with some of the fish. It is very fast in the water whatever it is.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Sure its not a stunted mink.... or the goldfish are already dead.

FAQ.....
Do they eat fish?

They will eat dead fish, but never catch them.

http://www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/water_voles

 

[Storm™]

Sure its not a stunted mink.... or the goldfish are already dead.

FAQ.....
Do they eat fish?

They will eat dead fish, but never catch them.

http://www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/water_voles

Dunno Pete. The fish may well have died naturally as well yes. But this thing is bloody loud munching them and whilst it brings them out of the water to eat them it usually doesnt and eats them in the water so you see it and the fish flopping about as its munching and rolling them over. Its not a rat though. It does not have a long tail. And is dark brown to black.

 

[Headnavigator]

I'm rather afraid your critter is a rat; used to see them going for a swim and a snack in our very small but (originally) well-stocked garden pond.

 

[The Cumbrian]

dont quote me lol. It looks like a water vole type thing.

Couldn't be a mink could it?

I'm not up on my voles lol. Its about the size of a mole. Bit smaller. Lives in the pond here.

What colour?

The heron has never been seen close to the pond and prefers the other end of the garden ... some 60 meters away. There isnt any water there though. Anyhow because herons take fish - it got the blame.

Herons have an amazingly varied diet - Animals, esp fish, amphibians, small mammals, insects and reptiles. So the "water Vole" is in danger from the Heron

But I have seen this thing take several of the larger goldfish. Almost as long as it. And its now had babies because they screech when it comes near with some of the fish. It is very fast in the water whatever it is.

I am still leaning towards it being possibly mink.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

hmmmm not worth the risk imho.

Storm - the open general licence is just that - as long as you are doing the culling for the reasons listed there's no problem, there are people with Larsen traps in their garden and their only reason is - they're protecting the sparrows and blackbirds in their garden - a case that has been tested in a court of law.
Even woodpigeons are covered by an open general licence so they only get shot to protect crops, if I go out one morning to shoot a pigeon for a nice dinner, I'm breaking the law - i have to go out to protect someone's crop!.

Remember that the RSPB is run by a load of clowns so it's the last place I'd look for advice on killing corvids!!

 

[The Cumbrian]

I agree with Head Navigator a rat would also be a possibility. Comparatively easy to tell from a vole, vole short hair covered tail rat long skin covered tail. However I haven't come across many references to rats catching fish and any I have have referred to "fingerlings" which doesn't really tie in with "nearly the size of itself" .

 

[Storm™]

....Remember that the RSPB is run by a load of clowns so it's the last place I'd look for advice on killing corvids!!

God JBM I dont know what the laws are. I just looked magpie callers to see if I could find a cheap one for Darren and that info came up. Because I dont know what the laws are I just said not worth the risk imho. Thats because my interpretation of that law is that its very interpretable. Or rather open to numerous interpretations. Too many. Its just something I wouldnt want to get involved in myself because the law isnt cut and dry. And if anything were to come of it, it would come down to who's interpretation is more provable. Too much hassle.

 

[Storm™]

Hi Cumbrian, wow a mink possibly. Ill have to get the wellies on and have a look at its nest. Its in some reeds on the edge of the pond. Well thats where the squealing was coming from. Or if its a rat it would be ok, but id like it to be a mink lol. Never seen one that I know of. The stoat was stunned when I walked out on the decking. It sat there with this frog in its mouth, with the frogs legs sticking out fully extended and it slowly turned and ran like hell. When it tried to get through the picket fence with the frog it struggled lol. It was a real privilege to see. Like my first pine martin, fascinating.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I agree it is a minefield - that's what happens when pen pushers get hold of a simple task and create a clusterf**k - it could have/should have been sorted out a few years ago but departmens like 'natural England' and the like got involved and believe it or not this law is an improvement to what was first tabled! RSPCA and similar jobsworths really went to town when it first came out, but now they've had their wings clipped n a court of law it's settled down (but as you say, for a lot of people it just doesn't seem worth the risk - which is what it was designed for unfortunately)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry - anything that makes RSPCA/RSPB types think they've got one over on us makes my blood fizzle a little!!
Back on thread ! try this one http://www.philipmorrisdirect.co.uk/deben-johnny-stewart-attractor-with-remote/product/
or this one on fleabay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CROW-MAGP...643442425&po=&ps=63&clkid=4890199936475545153

or the expensive one!
http://www.whistlingwings.co.uk/acatalog/Predator__Vermin_calls.html

Never used any of them myself so i can't really advise

 

[aberreef]

Not tried it yet but someone told me to you can shake a half empty matchbox which sounds like a magpies chattering call.

I use a magpie decoy next to a few hen eggs. They can't resist having a jolly good shout at the decoy

 

[premo]

Ogl

Storm - the open general licence is just that - as long as you are doing the culling for the reasons listed there's no problem, there are people with Larsen traps in their garden and their only reason is - they're protecting the sparrows and blackbirds in their garden - a case that has been tested in a court of law.
Even woodpigeons are covered by an open general licence so they only get shot to protect crops, if I go out one morning to shoot a pigeon for a nice dinner, I'm breaking the law - i have to go out to protect someone's crop!.

Remember that the RSPB is run by a load of clowns so it's the last place I'd look for advice on killing corvids!!

Not sure if we are not getting a bit paranoid here because if the powers that be wanted to they could prosecute hundreds out shooters in July and August when they go out shooting on rape, wheat and barley stubbles, they are not protecting crops then!!