help! my neighbours are trying to kill my garden birds!

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  • The rice is still a mystery, although I did pick some up, and it was dried rice, so it might have been to get rid of the pigeons.  Thanks for the tip Squirrel, I'm looking on the RSPB shop for a suitable feeder/attachment now.

  • Your course sounds interesting, I hope you are able to study with all this going on.  The feeder with a tray sounds like like a very good solution.  Robins are adaptable so I'm sure they will manage and dunnocks are ground feeders so they should be OK.  I look forward to hearing how you get on with the council.  Good luck.

    There is something new to learn everyday...

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylark58/

  • PeregrineRhi said:

    I live in a house with 2 other students, but we're all very quiet and respectful towards our neighbourhood.We really are not big party-goers that cause any kind of noise or disturbance.  Yes, there was issues when we first moved in over the fact that we were students, apparently there was even a complaint made to the letting company, and residents used to park their cars so we couldn't get in/out of our space.  This could be the issue here actually.  I am certainly going to get in touch with the council about it.

     

    Your neighbours sound like some very petty, narrow minded, vindictive, sad individuals and I feel for you having to live near them if this is the way they treat you. It does sound as though the birds issue is just another in ther pathetic list of "revenge" towards you and the fact that you are students. How awful for them having young, intelligent, respectful people in the pursuit of knowledge living in their beloved neighbourhood(!) They clearly can't see past the ends of their noses and are tarring you all with the same brush. Rise above them and prove you're better than them. I hope some real nightmares move in when you eventually leave - then they'll realise just how good they had it while you were there. 

  • Hi Rhiannon, did you manage to locate the saucer on the RSPB site? If not I will have a search and post the link for you as I saw it a few weeks back.

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • If you have been having problems at your bird table there are a few tricks you could try to prevent access to the more dominant birds.

     

    The seed trays mentioned by Squirrel will help on hanging feeders and you could also possibly consider using ground protectors to exclude larger birds form getting access to the food you leave out nearer the ground.

     

    Dried rice will still be readily taken by birds such as pigeons, doves and pheasants but is less likely to attract other species. Perhaps luring pigeons has been the intention here of your neighbours to have grounds on which to complain to the local council?

     

    Council officials are taking increasingly draconian approach to bird feeding, and often do not get both sides of the story if someone complains to them about a neighbour feeding birds.  Often the first thing a person who feeds birds in the garden hears about it, is a letter from the council telling them to stop bird feeding and threatening them with fines, ASBOs etc..  

     

    The bet thing a person in this situation can do is to get in touch with the local council and ask the officer who sent the letter to visit them to see the situation for themselves and to get the other side of the story. In many cases where this approach is used, the official will agree that there is no problem and no case to answer. It is useful to get this view in writing, and the person should encourage the official to write to the complainant to explain the outcome.  

     

    If you are unsure of your rights here or do have a long-term dispute running with you’re neighbours contact your local citizens advice bureau.  

     

      

  • I second that, contact Council official who sent the letter. It is likely that the rice next to the fence was used as proof that debris from your feeders was landing in their garden (attracting vermin). Bird song is not an issue that the Council will try to stop. But if they claimed that the rice was from your feeders then thats different! It will do no harm to put your concerns to the Council! That they and you may have been set up!

    Hope this is of help

    John

    For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.

  • PeregrineRhi said:

    unfortunatley I recieved a letter from my council today requesting that I take most of my feeders down, and only keep one up, and I'm only allowed to fill it once a day.  I'm looking out my window now, watching a wren, a dunnock, a robin and a whole host of sparrows bounce around where the bird table used to be. I feel quite bad, but there's not much else I can do!

    I have just read this forum-and am very sorry for your distres. Perhaps your local newspaper might run a sympathetic article for you-especially stressing how many people of your age get lots of press for bad things.

    Marbe your loical TV station would help-I know that in my area(near Birmingham) Midlands news loves to"take on" our council

    Regards MIN

    isn't wild wonderful

  • PeregrineRhi,  Just checking that I hope you are feeling a little more relaxed today and you are enjoying your studies. Have a great weekend.  

  • I really think you should name and shame the council in question!  That is terrible behaviour on their part.  I suspect somewhere on their website they claim to be an enviromentally freindly 'green' council and then they behave like that!

    As for the 'nimby' neighbours, I suspect thet they'd be the first to compalin if your college/uni closed down leading to a rise in local unemployment!  They seem to want it both ways!

    Good luck with the course.  Hope you get moved to somewhere a bit more civilised very soon!

     

    TheThing aka hugh

  • I'm coming late in to this thread, but I find it really amazing that councils will be happy to send out letters with regards to this, I agree with what others have said in that it could be anti-student-house more than anything.

    We still have such a long way to go in learning that we share this planet, its totally incredulous that they can describe bird noise as noise pollution!! Almost laughable if it wasn't true..

    Sadly I've also had problems for a long time at my feeders with feral pigeons (perils of city living?) and I have to say that those dishes that catch the food at the bottom do not work at all, the pigeons then just sit on those and eat the food. I am enduring an ongoing battle to try and beat these greedy birds, but I am hopeful that I will one day defeat the pigeons and find a way to stop them dominating all my feeders.

     

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