For the third year a flock of starlings are using my tiny garden and pond as a nursery for their young. I am currently feeding them a mixture of dried mealworms, calciworms and suet pellets at about 6.30am and after 5pm from three hanging feeders. The flock is currently about 100 strong. Unfortunately there are a number of cats in the area. One is particularly persistent. I have tried cat sound repellents without success. I would appreciate any advice.
Very difficult. Some cats are hard of hearing. You'd think older ones are more hard of hearing and less likely to be able to catch birds. Have you tried to RSPB recommended one, which I found did have some effect....if plugged into mains. Battery operated seemed far less effective.......but less of a trip/mower hazard. (I didn't want to bury cable as cats get used to it and go a different route.....so scarer needs moving about).
If cats are killing birds in the garden, unfortunately, if all scarers don't work, it is better for the birds if they aren't encouraged into the territory of the cat.
I have tried the ones from RSPB but didn't move them around. Thank you for that idea. The cats, particularly the persistent one, are a new addition to the area as neighbours move on. The resident blackbird couple, nesting in the next garden, help by sounding the alarm when a cat is lurking! It is wonderful watching the young starlings learning to eat from the feeders. Last week when it was very hot they were queuing up to bathe in the shallow wildlife pond. I also witnessed an adult feeding its young as it was standing in the pond.