I don’t really understand why anybody would want to deter wood pigeons. I feed them peanuts and sunflower hearts every day, one has been coming to the garden virtually every day for the past 8 or 9 years, it’s virtually a pet.
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I’ll swap your one pet for the ten or so I have, fat turkeys waddling over the lawn grass shitting as they go, it’s a mess & a health hazard. Plus trampling the flower beds flattening new & old growth as they go.
Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t want to eliminate them, just deter them & make my garden less attractive.
The RSPB BGBW results say it all
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When pond-keepers wish to deter unwelcome feathered visitors (usually the dreaded Herons) it’s often recommended to install a Shishi-Odoshi bamboo ‘Japanese deer scarer’.
Perhaps one might work with pigeons?
Mike
I don’t have lots of pigeon stomping about my garden, even though, as the photo posted yesterday shows, I do have a lot of pigeons in the vicinity.
The reason. A dominant male has claimed my garden as its territory. Up until a couple of years ago my pet pigeon was that dominant male, but not any more, now it is attacked if it comes anywhere near my back garden. Luckily it feeds in the front garden and is very persistent.
Might be a crazy idea, but you could throw a handful of peanuts into the garden at one spot a couple of times a day, in order to encourage a dominant male. Although at this time of year they have other things to keep them occupied.
Not so crazy Fatcat, that did work when I tried it last year, problem is when the nuts or whatever have been eaten they’re back to the bird feeder area.
I don’t seem to have a dominant male, hard to tell one from another, but I don’t see one that looks like a dominant bird.
I have a larger than average rear garden & the simplest solution is move the birdfeeders away from the house & ornamental garden into the veg & fruit area, but that’s somewhat counter productive in that its visually part blocked by vegetation & also too far from the house to appreciate the small birds that the feeders are intended for.
At the moment I’m experimenting with wind blown CD’s on a low level frame around the feeder area; they are nervous but not completely deterred. The good thing is the small birds are not at all bothered, so a partial win.
If you have a dominent male, it will be chasing off all the other pigeons. Although, it won’t be chasing off any ducks that stray into your garden. 
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We bought a feeder and put it up in the garden. It’s starting to attract friends. I need to get out my longer lens however.
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What kind of feeder is the one on the left?
Nice to see the finches in their spring outfits.
The feeder on the left holds cylindrical slugs of suet. The woodpeckers seem to like it.
I’ve just joined the RSPB, trying to learn a bit more about attracting a wider variety of birds to the garden. I was also going to treat myself to a new bird feeder through the RSPB instead of going through Amazon. Looking at the online store there are a lot of negative reviews on both the feeders the RSPB offer. Can anyone make any recommendations?
Tim
Hi Tim
I’d look at some of the wildlife supply companies such as CJ wildlife or Ark wildlife (others available). Both offer some quality product and unlike the RSPB are I’d guess more sensitive to customer relationships. Have used both myself without issue and have had positive customer care when needed.
Bird feeders are all a compromise … you will for sure experiment with the latest gizzmo’s over the years, similar to our endless cable tweaks, but that normal.
I’ve found it best to keep it simple & go for the straight tube types with side perches, some are better than others, metal perches are more robust than plastic, but all will eventually need replacing.
They invariably attract unwanted birds of some sort, flocks of starlings, pigeons, jackdaws.
If you do find you feeder(s) attract these birds then best not have a seed catcher tray as these are used as big feeding perches, but the birds will still feed on the dropped seed underneath, so be sure that you are happy with the mess & trampling on that piece of ground.
If you have squirrels, you will need a caged feeder and/or a feeder post with a squirrel barrier.
Hi Tim
Just a thought, consider the environment around your house and surrounding area. If you know what birds frequent the locality you can start by tailoring the food type and hence get appropriate feeder’s.
Some foods are messier than others but in any case I’ve always found the benefits vastly outweigh any small cleaning up issues.
Once up and running and getting birds into your feeders you can look to expand the types of food on offer. Sometimes despite the area you can be surprised as to what turns up.
Sighting of the feeding station is important, birds generally like some cover close by to avoid predators. I know people who have put out a lot of feeders only to be disappointed as they have them in the middle of a large lawn area with no cover. Close to a bush and/or a tree will pay dividends.
@ChifChaf thanks I will have a look at those products, I just assumed the RSPB would source better quality items. I’m having a close look at my immediate environment as I have the Grand Union Canal 5 mins walk away and Daventry Country Park 15 mins walk away, so lots of water fowl. We do get swans and Canada geese regularly fly over our house which is always a nice sight.
Agree @Mike-B I have found a good place in the garden and the debris is not too bad, plus I clean the feeders on a regular basis, I’ll also have to make note to other gardens which have feeders that are near me because if they don’t like mine I’m sure there are plenty of alternatives.
Tim
Summer Has Arrived - The swifts have returned.
I saw a few on Friday & Saturday, but as these were high up circling around feeding I assumed passage migrants.
This morning I have a pair doing high speed low level chases around the village.
If as per previous years, more will arrive as the day progresses, probably will be mobs on screaming runs by next weekend.
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Some good bird sightings this weekend.
Osprey at the nest.
Greylag family
Male Hen Harrier (crap photo; it was a long way away with a compact on full zoom - sorry!)
Cheers,
Ian
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superb
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Well that image brings back an unfortunate memory!
Early one morning, several years ago I looked out of the rear upstairs window just in time to see one of his brothers/sisters flipping the most stunning 6" Japanese Koi I’ve ever seen (let alone owned) in his beak and straight down his throat. I still go cold at the thought of it!
Yes the damned things are protected, but if I had managed to get hold of that one, at that time…
“Honest officer, it was a long legged, long necked grey pigeon”!
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