Monday 2 May 2016

Help....shrikes about!


Since my first post about the birds outside I've learned a lot more! They are very aggressive and are continuously flying at my windows and doors...so I went looking for first identification and then helpful advice!
The original identification seems correct. These are I think red backed shrike.
According to several bird books they are fairly rare visitors to these shores every spring.
They like cliffs by the sea with fir trees and overhead phone lines!
Every summer I am used to seeing swallows lined up along the phone lines but these colourful visitors never! It is however the explanation to my car covered with white poo every morning! It used to be parked under the phone line!
One entry in the RSPB website says there are only twenty pairs a year in this country....if this is true I've got a tenth of them....there are two males hitting my windows!
I have consulted a local farmer who tells me he has never heard of my problem before.....but they have a gruesome reputation. They kill smaller birds, various large insects and impale them on thorns close to their nests in a gruesome larder!
In the hedge close to my house are many small birds. Tits, wrens, robins are all happy residents. Now these colourful aggressive visitors are chasing them all out!
Nesting in my chimneys are huge birds. Ravens or crows....I'm not sure which but we have lived in peaceful coexistence for years.
I am wondering if the crows would chase off the aggressive little birds...
The local farmer offered me his air gun!
It's no wonder they are so rare....they don't exactly make friends !
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

5 comments:

Ray Barnes said...

I don't like the sound of your unwanted visitors at all Jean. Never having had such a problem I can't offer any useful advice, but the BTO or RSPB probably could.
I'm afraid Crows would be very unlikely to chase off any aggressive birds, they are quite solitary and peaceable creatures.
Maybe an electric bird-scarer such as farmers use would help.
Keep posting about them and good luck.

Revjeanrolt said...

I am assuming the females are sitting on near bye nests....I've only seen the bright ones so far! Sound scarers might work but round here they are very loud Indeed!

Pat C said...

I've had the same with smaller birds like finches and was told it was their reflections they were attacking as they thought they were interlopers!

Revjeanrolt said...

That makes sense Pat....thanks.

UKViewer said...

Perhaps you need 'Blackout' Curtains while they'e in the breeding season?

Brown paper taped over the windows might suffice.

Alternative is to stand near the windows with a mega fly swatter and swat them away - they'll soon learn that you're not to be messed with (or on) :)