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Post by 1dave on Jan 27, 2016 12:13:00 GMT -5
This is a tough winter for my local House Finches so I've been buying 40 lb. bags of sunflower seeds and sprinkling a quart at a time on a barrel top. I soon had 20-30 arrive for breakfast every morning, but then Pigeons arrived in mass and scarfed up every seed within 15 minutes! I had some left over fencing and had noticed the Finches almost flew threw my fences as if it wasn't there. I wrapped some around the top of the barrel and hinged down the far side with the barrel clamp so I could just lift the near side and dump in another bottle full of seeds. Pigeons still got down through the top, so I covered that too. Three days later the pigeons finally gave up. The little birds are happy, and a quart now lasts two days.
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Post by captbob on Jan 27, 2016 13:38:21 GMT -5
Pigeons are going to scream that you are racist (speciesist?) or a pigeonphobe.
Expect to be hearing from their lawyer soon.
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Jan 27, 2016 14:12:28 GMT -5
Sizist! Curvy pigeon discrimination!
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Post by 1dave on Jan 28, 2016 10:18:56 GMT -5
I'm also starving the neighbor's cat. This used to be easy pickings for him. Now he just bounces off the fence. For a while I stood another barrel on top to keep them out of reach, but the wind kept blowing it off. They don't call our eastern mountains the "HURRICANE CLIFFS" for nothing!
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Post by radio on Jan 28, 2016 12:35:11 GMT -5
I saw a House Finch at our feeders just the other day. Cardinals, Blue Jays and Sparrows are by far the majority though. The last few days the danged Starlings have been vacuuming up the seed like crazy. If I can catch a group of them feeding without the other birds mixed in, the .410 will come into play
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Post by 1dave on Feb 3, 2016 12:26:38 GMT -5
What a difference a day makes. A little snow, now feathers fluffed out and hungrier than ever. They fly in, grab a seed, then fly off to crack and eat it and make space for the next group.
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bushmanbilly
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Post by bushmanbilly on Feb 3, 2016 12:56:58 GMT -5
What are the red breasted ones? I have them in my yard all summer.They really like the Mountain Ash berries. They clean off the tree before they head south in the fall.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 13:25:43 GMT -5
What are the red breasted ones? I have them in my yard all summer.They really like the Mountain Ash berries. They clean off the tree before they head south in the fall. Zoom in. Its red head and breast. That is the common house finch. We have recently (last 5 years) started to see them here in SoCal after decades of absnce. The worldwide decline of the English sparrow has benefited the local songbirds in a great way.
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 3, 2016 13:54:38 GMT -5
I wish Shakespear's "fan" that brought them over here would put those English sparrows where I can't. Flying mice.
Starlings....flying rats.
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 3, 2016 13:57:16 GMT -5
1dave, are you feeding the black oil or gray sunflower seeds. Much more bang for the buck with winter-time feeding with the black oil... ETA: Btw, I like your solution to the pigeons (and for the English sparrows!).
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Post by 1dave on Feb 3, 2016 14:50:09 GMT -5
1dave, are you feeding the black oil or gray sunflower seeds. Much more bang for the buck with winter-time feeding with the black oil... ETA: Btw, I like your solution to the pigeons (and for the English sparrows!). Black Oil.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 16:38:53 GMT -5
I wish Shakespear's "fan" that brought them over here would put those English sparrows where I can't. Flying mice. Starlings....flying rats. What about pigeons? Oddly enough, english sparrows hail originally from India! 1dave do you feed in summer too?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 16:40:54 GMT -5
What is the solution for the sparrows? I missed it?
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Post by radio on Feb 3, 2016 18:01:54 GMT -5
What is the solution for the sparrows? I missed it? .410 with #8 shot
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 18:25:15 GMT -5
What is the solution for the sparrows? I missed it? [Duh]Don't feed them[/Duh] 'cept english sparrows and house finch are the same size. If they are present he IS feeding them. Its the pigeons he excluded by clever device.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 18:29:12 GMT -5
What is the solution for the sparrows? I missed it? .410 with #8 shot Rice farmers up in northern cali buy pallets of #9 1oz shot in 12 and 20 gauge. This to kill and deter the brazilians of red winged blackbirds preying on the crop. Its a hoot for about two weeks. Free ammo, drive the levees and blast away from the back of the truck. Remember to let the driver get a chance too! Sadly i never got to participate and my friend is lost contact. Somehow, i doubt dave is considering blasting sparrows off the back porch.....
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 3, 2016 18:55:45 GMT -5
Yep. Got the wrong problem solver...sorry for the confusion...
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 4, 2016 8:36:59 GMT -5
I wish Shakespear's "fan" that brought them over here would put those English sparrows where I can't. Flying mice. Starlings....flying rats. What about pigeons? Oddly enough, english sparrows hail originally from India! 1dave do you feed in summer too? Pigeons...hmmm,... They'd have to be something a big larger...maybe flying armadillos? Interesting, though, is that pigeons don't attain the populations that the weaver finch does...maybe fewer hatchings per season?...higher predator appeal (more meat)?...
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