• Cunir
  • 3 Nov 2021 7:27 PM
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Have you ever seen a Sparrowhawk take a Wood Pigeon from your garden?

  • Dave - CH

    In reply to Kath10:

    Thanks for the photos, Kath.

    Your hedge looks like box, so (if so) it will take forever to grow, and won't provide any cover (too dense) when it does. Also, box is increasingly prone to box caterpillar, with (to my knowledge) only one biological treatment (nematode-based), which requires repeat spraying. And if you don't get box caterpillar, a damp year can give you terrible fungal problems (the box, not you), and the treatment for that is even worse. Box is turning into a high-maintenance presence in the garden, and it's only going to get worse.

    There's (to my mind) absolutely no reason why you can't have a good, nature-friendly mixed hedge in your garden; one that will grow like wildfire. It's just a question of choosing the right plants. (Assuming that you have a good, thick layer of soil to plant them in, and plant "properly".)

    I'd suggest you post separately asking for advice on hedging plants. There are a number of Community members who have a lot of knowledge on the subject, and I'm sure they'd be happy to share.

    We've had success with yew. In fact, we're currently considering replacing a lot of our box (and we have a lot) with yew. Even up at 800m+ (where we are), some varieties will grow at 30 cm per year, although (as always) you're best investing in a fairly established plant.

    We've a scrubby area on one side of the house where a mixture of lilac and philadelphus produces a lot of the cover that small birds appreciate, and brings in Bullfinches, etc.

    Tangles, tangles, and more tangles. Small birds love them. Sprawks less so.

    All the best -

    Dave 

  • Kath10

    In reply to Dave - CH:

    Thanks dave I will definitely tell my husband all that you have said as yes they are box hedges so clearly we have got the wrong ones...
  • Kath10

     I believe the reason behind me actually getting all the amazing birds I do get in my very open and small garden is due to the fact that my neighbour has these stunning trees very close to my garden and they always fly in from the right so know they are coming from that way....

    1. Also behind our street we are surrounded by miles of open fields and woodland so are extremely lucky to be surrounded in such beautiful surroundings and also the reason we get the birds of prey we get. 

    Sparrowhawks, buzzards and we have also seen a red kite in the fields as well actually on my husband's 50th birthday and we were having a birthday party in the garden and above us was a red kite, it was magnificent. 

  • Kath10
  • Dave - CH

    In reply to Kath10:

    Kath10 said:
    my husband's 50th birthday

    What a birthday present!

    Yup. Nice trees. A fair amount to do in there. 

  • Kath10

    In reply to Dave - CH:

    Until covid hit us and I was stuck in the house for a year I never even thought of feeding birds, but put out one feeder and it all started with some wood pigeons and collared doves.

    Now a few years later and hundreds of pounds spent and I currently have 8 feeders out and have an array of goldfinches, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, robins, dunnock, sparrows, wood pigeons, magpies and think I even saw a wren last week but am not 100%..
  • Dave - CH

    In reply to Kath10:

    Kath10 said:
    think I even saw a wren last week but am not 100%

    Listen out for Wrens.

    We had one in the garden this morning. Didn't see it, but we could hear it was there.

    Dave 

    PS. That "SARS-CoV-2 upside" again. Interesting.

  • Kath10

    In reply to Dave - CH:

    I have been saying to my husband about this bird noise I have been hearing as am taking my son to work at 5am/6am most days so am out early it is very loud and not like a usual tweet, I am convinced it is a wren.

    It was so tiny and was hopping in and out of the pots so I just couldn't see it properly.

    I am not sure we would get wrens in my part of the country but I might of just made that up, but I'm sure I read it somewhere.
  • Dave - CH

    In reply to Kath10:

    You can listen to songs and calls at https://www.xeno-canto.org/, Kath.

    But if it's ridiculously loud, does very fast trills, and behaves more like a mouse than a bird, you're probably right and it's a Wren.
  • Mike B

    In reply to Kath10:

    Kath10 said:
    I have been saying to my husband about this bird noise I have been hearing as am taking my son to work at 5am/6am most days so am out early it is very loud and not like a usual tweet, I am convinced it is a wren.



    It was so tiny and was hopping in and out of the pots so I just couldn't see it properly.

    I am not sure we would get wrens in my part of the country but I might of just made that up, but I'm sure I read it somewhere.

    The noisy commotion could be house sparrows!

    We have three broods here from the same parents still visiting our feeders, and boy do they make some noise.....

    Another bid call/song link to consider is British Bird Songs and Calls.

    https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/

    Mike

    Flickr Peak Rambler