I think one of the nicest sounds of Summer, is the contented churrr of a pigeon. I also enjoy watching the courtship “bowing“ of the male to a disinterested female, usually on the overhead cables.
Incredible. I’ve spent a little time watching the Bath Peregrines.
there was blood sh!t and feathers everywhere much to the distress of the crowds that had lined the road overlooking the docks to view the spectacle!!Probably missed a chance of Chinese style barbecued pigeons then? Must have been a couple worth the trouble.Off went the flashbang, the peregrines cleared off not to be seen for days, the pigeons however, took off-en-masse, did a large circuit over Southwich, returned and all settled back on the chimney - just as the demolition charge went off!!
Ahhh she must have been gutted after saving it and then it meeting its end!!!!!!One day my daughter rescued a pigeon which had crashed into our patio windows. She spent a while making sure it had recovered from the shock etc and when she released it a sparrow hawk swooped and took it out of the air a couple of feet above her head! Obviously the reason it had crashed in the first place!
You should write a book about all your exploits, would be a best sellerYears ago, I was the deck officer in charge of two mothballed cutters in Shoreham docks (we always kept 'spares' on standby if we needed extra assets on the other end of the country to the operational craft, and for replacements if any broke down) it was when they were preparing to demolish the chimney of the old Shoreham power station. Unfortunately for the demolition team the abandoned chimney was teeming with feral pigeons and a pair of peregrines had taken residence.
We were berthed right next to the chimney and I chatted a lot to the explosives lads as they were preparing the charges for the 'dress rehearsal' (caps but no explosives) and the grand plan was to first let off a 'harmless' noisy flashbang so that all the pigeons and more importantly the peregrines would take flight, then follow up a few seconds later with the demolition charges.
The dress rehearsal went beautifully although, just in case, they made me move both cutters to a safer berth (which actually gave us a better view) Byt when it came to the actual demolition, for some reason a 'hangfire' developed in the actual demolition charge. Iff went the flashbang, the peregrines cleared off not to be seen for days, the pigeons however, took off en masse, did a large circuit over Southwich, returned and all settled back on the chimney - just as the demolition charge went off!!
When the new power station was built, they put a nesting box on the new chimney and as far as I know the Peregrines have been there ever since.
Ah right I tend to feed all year around
So do I.
Never!!!!!!! Frozen?
she prefers them live - it's more fun
Noooooooooooo
Yes. 200. Price was £9 two months ago now £18
Incredible how prices have rocketed. Sunflowers seeds,niger seeds,peanuts and suet squares on the menu in our garden
I get everything wholesale from eBay and make my own suet squares. That way I know they are safe even for nestlings
I'm interested, how do you make the suet squares?
I buy peanut chips and blitz them to a fine grain in my food processor. I add a handful of dried Calci worms when blitzing ( like mealworms but with the correct Ca/PO4 ratio for boney growth) and mix with melted lard. That way I know there's no filler in it. They are a bit soft but they do last well in the feeder.
