In the summer I like to dine outside with friends. I have a table with a fire pit in the middle and a large umbrella. The Red Kites swoop down underneath the umbrella and right above the lit fire pit in order to pick up food (cooked meat) from the table. I thought the umbrella and the fire would be enough to detract this scavenging, but it is not. They come very close to humans and my dog they are not at all scared, we on the other hand are very scared. What else can i do to prevent then swooping down and taking food?
That is a tricky one - the one thought I have would be stringing bunting as the fluttering would be unpredictable but they are such agile flyers it may not deter. This is the down side of people feeding them in urban gardens
Cin J
Would the old trick of hanging shiny CD discs around also deter?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Thanks for the reply. The bird flew 10cm directly above a naked flame in a fire pit and under the umbrella, so I'm not sure how bunting will put him / her off. I will try it though, as I desperately want to be able to enjoy my garden.
How about the old fashioned fly deterrent hanging strips of plastic(?) that my mum had on the back door? May be attached to the umbrella dangling down?
Edit... I don't mean specifically my mums... they've probably been lost in a house move some years back lol