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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Fwd: [Self_Sufficient_Farmers] Wild bird problem

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  • From: "William H Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Fwd: [Self_Sufficient_Farmers] Wild bird problem
  • Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:25:42 -0500

Kathryn

 

We have grapes on trellises and often find nests in them. Those species usually don’t bother us. But we also get Robins nesting in the greenhouse. They will pull up seedlings, so I must kick them out. My experience is that birds become fixated on a nesting site. I have to repeatedly remove nests for about a week. Then they get the message. So they just need to persist pulling out nests. If they do it promptly each day, the birds may give up more quickly.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

Sr. Research Specialist, Food Crops

University of Illinois - Crop Sciences

St Charles Horticulture Research Center

535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL, 60174

630-584-7254, FAX-584-4610

wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of KAKerby AT aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:33 AM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Market-farming] Fwd: [Self_Sufficient_Farmers] Wild bird problem

 

Oddball question from another list, and I thought I'd see if anyone here had any experience with this, and/or suggestions for some wildlife-friendly (and face-friendly) alternatives. 

Kathryn Kerby

frogchorusfarm.com

Snohomish, WA

 


From: whitt_family_4 AT yahoo.com
Reply-to: Self_Sufficient_Farming_and_Living AT yahoogroups.com
To: Self_Sufficient_Farming_and_Living AT yahoogroups.com
Sent: 6/16/2010 8:41:07 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: [Self_Sufficient_Farmers] Wild bird problem

 

I've got a wild bird problem.
In 6 years I've never had birds nest in my berry vines, until this year that is.
Now that berries are ready for picking two or more times a day I've been getting attacked by birds when I get close to the end of one of my trellises.
The first time I noticed an animal in the vines I first thought it was a snake because I was hearing hissing. So I just skipped that part of the trellis and didn't go on that side of the next trellis. The next time I came out that day I noticed more movement and the same hissing so I took a closer look and noticed a bird, then it started yelling/squawking and running up and down the trellis I guess it's mate decided to get in on the act too and I was getting swooped at by the second one, so I left.
The next morning the bird was on the trellis again so I took a small handful of pebbles and tossed them at the vines, the bird flew out and took off. I put my gloves on and went into the vines and found the nest and pulled it out since it had no eggs. I thought that was it for the birds. The birds were in trees near by yelling at me but no swooping or anything.
Two days later I notice a bird was back in the vines, I got a rake handle out and poked it into the vines and the bird took off, I went and got the new nest out and hoped that would be it.
Nope, today I went out this morning and there was a darn bird in the vines again, but today there are eggs in the new nest. I don't want to remove this nest if there is the possibility of the birds not finding the nest if I re-home it, but I also don't want to keep getting attacked when I go to pick my berries, I have 18 trellis to pick 2-3 times a day (depending on the heat) and I'm out there for a few hours. I hate having to keep looking around, I almost got caught up in a blackberry vine this morning when I hear movement next to me and I almost stood up. Thankfully I caught myself and stay crouched down and just looked around.

So I guess my question is can I move this nest and the birds find it or am I just SOL and leave it where it is and hope they take pity on me and out trying to get me.

Thanks,
Elly
E&W Farm
Manchester, TN




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