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29-12-2019, 11:51 PM
11

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Originally Posted by Tiffany ->
No idea where the rats here came/come from, but I think they have always been here, but never obvious like they have been lately. If I hadn't seen them in daylight I'd not have known, but I have seen them so sadly the birds have to be unfed. I will start feeding the birds again in a week or so & if the weather gets bad.



Trouble is, they breed so quickly. I have a feeling the babies can start reproducing by the time they are 12 weeks old, and with sometimes 12 in a litter, you can see how easy it is to get over run with the darn things.

I stopped feeding the birds for a couple of months in the end.
I missed seeing them alot, and the garden only seemed half alive when the birds left.

Happily they came back again within a couple of days of putting food out again.
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30-12-2019, 01:00 AM
12

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Originally Posted by Mups ->
Trouble is, they breed so quickly. I have a feeling the babies can start reproducing by the time they are 12 weeks old, and with sometimes 12 in a litter, you can see how easy it is to get over run with the darn things.

I stopped feeding the birds for a couple of months in the end.
I missed seeing them alot, and the garden only seemed half alive when the birds left.

Happily they came back again within a couple of days of putting food out again.
The birds are still around as most of the neighbours feed the birds too. If they have seen rats they haven't said. Not this time anyway. As I said if I don't see the rats I feed the birds, but once I have seen them I can't carry on until I think they are gone. They can & do breed as you said & seeing one leads to two & before you know it lots of the little blighters are running around in the garden. Not for the first time either.
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30-12-2019, 01:27 AM
13

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Yes, I knew I had a problem when I noticed different size/age rats were coming to one table. They were obviously breeding and the bigger adults seemed to be teaching the smaller ones where the food was . Aggh . . .
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30-12-2019, 11:22 AM
14

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Originally Posted by Mups ->
Yes, I knew I had a problem when I noticed different size/age rats were coming to one table. They were obviously breeding and the bigger adults seemed to be teaching the smaller ones where the food was . Aggh . . .
I don't dislike rats, my Son had pet rats for years, they do make good pets, but those are tame & disease free, who knows what wild rats can/might carry.
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30-12-2019, 11:25 AM
15

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Apparently the birdwatcher is the largest survey of British birds ever taken .
It s good thing I will try again online in a while .
Donkeyman
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30-12-2019, 01:23 PM
16

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Originally Posted by Tiffany ->
I don't dislike rats, my Son had pet rats for years, they do make good pets, but those are tame & disease free, who knows what wild rats can/might carry.
Put a couple of owl boxes up, and consider keeping a couple of
cats? The cats dont go with the birds though! That should take care
of the mice and rats? And may introduce a new specie of bird to
your area!
I actually saw a large hawk take a grey squirrel from the top of my
garden fence last year whilst sitting quietly in my patch of garden!

Donkeyman!
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30-12-2019, 03:22 PM
17

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Not keen on cat's either. I am a dog person.
Donkeyman
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30-12-2019, 03:34 PM
18

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

Originally Posted by Tiffany ->
Not keen on cat's either. I am a dog person.
Stick with the owls then, they work all night and cost nothing to
to maintain, dont crap or spray in your garden and are generally
silent! If supplied with a cat proof box they will stay for several
years!
Regards Donkeyman!
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30-12-2019, 03:38 PM
19

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

What a good idea I have mice in the attic can hear them scrambling about .
Have just ordered three humane mouse traps off amazon .
I will ask my brother to build me an owl house .
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30-12-2019, 03:49 PM
20

Re: The Big Garden Birdwatch

' had one of those black woodpeckers coming to the feeder over Christmas , further down the woods where I get firewood I see the green woodpeckers in the opening with the red flash but not just lately.
 
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