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[ariadne]

I caught part of a program about swifts today. I never knew they rarely land and never perch. They only land for nesting and since most swifts start breeding only in their 3rd or 4th year, they stay permanently in the air for 2 or 3 years, except for checking possible nesting-holes, when they cling onto a wall for a few seconds to look inside.They sleep, eat and mate on the wing. How exhausting but quite fascinating I thought.

They are becoming rare too according to the program.

[CLKD]

Exhausts me thinking about it!  Thank goodness they only weigh a tiny amount 

[Taz2]

CLKD - you never did say how you actually go out and kill the squirrels? Annie get your gun?   

[CLKD]

My robin was singing his heart out for meal worms mid-morning, sitting about 10 feet away until I fed him 

Taz2 - got it in 1!  humane trap for squirrels and rats, air-rifle through the head .....

[catweazle]

OMG that's terrible!

How do you sleep at night.

Catweazle

[Taz2]

How on earth can you do that CLKD? Do you actually shoot them yourself? I could never do that! How many squirrels do you get in a season?

Taz x

[juju]

When I lived in bournemouth there was a big problem with squirrels....not that I thought so or most of the tourists who fed them.I fell out with one of my friends husbands as he was hanging out the window with an air rifle shooting squirrels and I was begging him to stop and he didnt.It evoked an awful feeling in me....The same bloke had put a hose under the shed to drown some fox cubs that had been born there.Bournemouth council used to pay 50p a tail for grey squirrels.Then they wonder why .....I wouldnt even let me kids squash a spider.I suppose its the same with pigeons etc but we have wiped out most of the wild mammals and a lot of birds that lived here.Not the squirrels fault that they were imported.Most of us were as well....

[dando]

Ew, well I don't like the grey squirrels.  They're cute but they are not indigenous to the UK and are helping to oust the lovely red squirrels.  They also do real harm to the trees etc when there are a lot of them in an area.  I do believe they need to be controlled and they are classed as vermin when there are lots of them. My neighbour recently had 8 of them (yes 8 of the blighters) in her loft.  She had to have them killed.  They'd ruined the electric wiring and made a right mess in the loft.  Thankfully we don't have a lot of feral pigeons here.  We hve wood pigeons which are okay.  The feral ones are a pest and make a right mess of your house as well as damaging the roof in some cases, where they flock and pick off the grit on the roofing tiles, chimney etc.  They need to be controlled

As for the bloke who drowned the fox cubs.......hmmm - I'm sure that HAS to be illegal.  Drowning any kind of animal is.  I'm afraid I might have shopped him and I don't think I'd have allowed my husband to do that.

I need to buy some

[Taz2]

I take it you are not a gardener then Dando if you think woodpigeons are ok 

Taz x

[jannyp]

Don't have any problems with vermin here not with 3 cats!  Only problem is hubby loves birds and feeds them every winter then complains when puss brings him a present!!!!!!!!  Last year she even managed to bring 2 crows in via the cat flap bit by bit!!!!  I hate birds - well not HATE I just don't like them flapping.  Am same with moths and butterflys.   

[CLKD]

I sleep reasonably well at night ..........   but can't abide rats and grey squirrels [rats with tails ;-)] - we don't get many squirrels which hubby disposes of and haven't seen a rat - despite having chickens - for 10 years.

There are 2 very good cats which visit regularly.  One leaves mice at our door although she belongs to the neighbour   ...... the other is shy so anything he catches he takes away, maybe to his own family.

My b in l's cats catch squirrels and once had a parrot!  The latter was rescued and rehomed.

Foggy this morning and very chilly.  Off to feed the chooks .........

As for 'most of us were', I agree ... would love to have the energy to see whether my family came over with the Normans or whether we are entrenched in deepest Norfolk  [it crosses my mind that certain political parties members should also do their family 'trees' before spouting off   ] I've got as far as my Great Granny on Mum's side ........ we had a family tree thread somewhere

[Taz2]

Ah - so you don't actually "kill grey squirrels" yourself then CLKD  -  you mean husband does? I thought you were out there taking careful aim with your air rifle!

Taz x 

[CLKD]

Oh it's so cold out there - have fed the wild birds and put extra bedding in the chooks ........... now gettingmy laughing gear round some toast before I clear out the green houses

[dando]

Hi Taz - me a gardener, well a bit.  My garden is hard to work on as I have very solid clay and flint but I only have 2 woodpigeons visit me so any mess they make is minimal and there is sod all for them to eat in the way of my plants.  I've watched them.  They land on the lawn and just peck at the grass and daisies.  There are no young and tnder shoots for them to get at.  LOL.  The pesky squirrels dig up the front "lawn" to hide their nuts. I have a huge old oak tree outside the front door with loads of acorns so they love that!  Must get some proper bird food but the pesky squirrels love that too. 

[Taz2]

We decided to go to the pub yesterday lunchtime. It was just the type of day to sit by the log fire with friends and watch the rain lashing down outside.

Part way there I noticed a woman on the grass verge. She looked like she was trying to "shoo" something along. Slowing down I could just see a young hedgehog bustling along in the gutter. I stopped and asked if she needed help and she said that she had nearly run it over but wasnt sure what to do with it. I explained that I was a contact from the local wildlife hospital and she looked rather relieved. Anyway I picked the little fella up as there was no way he was big enough to face the winter and the fact that he was out in daylight showed that he was not in the best of health. I passed him to a surprised and slightly reluctant OH in the passenger seat and we carried on to the pub. While he went in to order the drinks I found a suitably sized empty box in the boot plus an old t-shirt (emergency supplies) and popped him in there before phoning the wildlife hospital so they could have a place ready for him. He was lovely. I would put a photo up but don't know how. Anyway, he settled into his new hutch well and at least he is safe for the winter.

The woman was worried that he might bite her!

Taz x