Garden Pests

[upthecreekyetagain]

We are suffering more than normal with winged garden pests - anyone else having a similar problem.

Looks like an idyllic scene - bluetits enjoying the bird feeder:-

It was until this bird decided it was his feeding table - swooping down and grabbing young birds at will:-

Then when he goes the bird feeder is taken over by these pests:-

Whole flocks of them have stripped our fruit trees and now are terrorising the other birds to get at the feed - as if that wasn’t bad enough the racket they make has to be heard to be believed!

[fallen-archie]

Firstly the kestrel is entitled to be there, I have a pair who regularly visit along with a buzzard, tawny and barn owls. All part of the natural eco system, the parakeet on the other hand is not, they look lovely but they compete with our native wildlife and are natural survivors! They are colonising everywhere a bit like collard doves and mink!

[upthecreekyetagain]

We get collard doves and mink - we used to have a number of water voles colonising the river bank until the mink appeared about 15 years ago.

Another major pest visiting us are the deer - they love the vegetable patch - especially the runner beans!

At least the ducks and pheasants don't do any damage.

[fallen-archie]

Similar story here sadly, the mink were released by animal rights activists and have decimated the water voles and now take the eggs of water foul dramatically reducing their numbers. We also have plenty of Roe deer although they are not as destructive as the sika deer imho. Another non native species