Sparrows!!!

I stood gazing out of the window this morning at the murky sky and caught something moving out of the corner of my eye. Taking a closer look half a dozen pesky House Sparrows were clinging to my roses stripping off the young leaves! They are such destructive birds and I wish I could get rid of them. I've already given up the fight of trying to stop them nesting under my roof tiles every year, but attacking my roses......now that's not on!

 

Could you maybe try tying old CD's or the likes to the Roses just to give the leaves a chance to grow Sheal...

 

Thanks but I don't think they will work Loli, they haven't elsewhere. They are determined little blighters!

 

There doesn't seem to be that many Sparrows in this neck of the woods but saying that the way they've been 'carrying on' lately i expect there'll be a few more soon

 

I could have lent you Sage a few years ago, but as she's turning twenty this month this seems to be all that she's good for now.....................

 

I must admit this is the worst year I've known for them being destructive, we get plenty of sparrows here and they've never really caused any problems but this year!!, well they've damaged a lot of the new growth on several Clematis, just nipping the top 3-4 inches off and leaving it all laying on the ground, they also been removing a lot of new growth on some of my roses and pulling away at the new growth on my raspberries!!! Hopefully their minds will be turned to concentrating on nesting soon and they'll leave off

 

Ive got lots as usual,ive hung fat balls all around for them,apples,scratch grain on the grass and theyve not bothered eating anything else

 

That is a grand age for a cat,hope sage as many more years x

 

Longk.......Cats are in abundance here and there's only one thing they come into my garden for and it's not birds.

Dave........ That's a good idea, but Sparrows have a protection order on them and besides, I couldn't do it!
Bilbo...... they are already nesting here, under mine and my neighbours roof tiles!

Joolz.......I don't put food out for birds because of longtails, plus it attracts more sparrows and I don't need anymore.

I could house train some local Sparrowhawks, I've seen them twice in the past take birds from my garden. My next house is going to have slates on the roof, I'll make sure of it!

On a more serious note, I think the only way to stop them is to cover the roses with fine netting.

 

I find it strange that they are a protected species, there are millions of the flying rats.
You don't have to kill them, use slightly frozen peas as the ammunition.
They are pretty smart and will soon move to some place else that hurts less.

 

I agree with you there Dave, but there numbers are supposedly dwindling in the UK, I wish they'd dwindle in my garden!

No sorry, I'm not a spiteful person and couldn't harm any animal, not even the longtails!

 

She's arthritic in her rear quarters, but apart from that she seems healthy, happy and full of life.

In her day sparrows, tits, thrushes, bunnies etc were all doomed. There was always a pile of "presents" left by the back door, including a stoat once! And she's a tiny little thing too.

 

Sage is a beauty Longk unusual colour to...

 

House sparrows are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take a house sparrow, or to take, damage or destroy an active nest or its contents.
I too have lots of fat balls hanging from trees and this seems to keep them occupied.