No Almonds Again!

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

There's a breeding pair in Vaucluse, and at least one, if not also a pair where I live in Maroubra. There's also another in Sydney's CBD that patrols over Hyde Park - I've seen it perched on one corner on top of the Supreme Court Bulding late one arvo, the perfect perch to view the whole park!

There are also a lot more owls about the place too, but these are much harder to spot at night as they patrol parks for mice & rats. One boobok owl scared the crap out of me one night while walking home when I lived in Paddington. The bugger swooped into a tree that was directly opposite a little park - must have been its look out post. It was the flutter of its wings when it alighted onto a branch right beside my head - I didn't hear the owl approach and it just appeared! I aged two years instantly! Part of the reason I suggest the owl dummies.

But I think Marty has the better solution for your longer term problem.

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Like you I have yet to see an almond thanks to the Cockies.
Or a plum, nectarine or peach for that matter.
I found the "Flee for your lives" worked really well.
For about a week.
Then they got used to it. Or went deaf.

I could be imagining it, but the birds around here seem to have developed co-operative behaviour when it comes to predators (the cat doesn't count-she's scared of birds).
One lot, usually the blackbirds and crows, will fly high cover against the wedgetails and hawks, while the parots and cockatoos feed on the ground.
Then, later, the situation is reversed!
Out of the loop are the kookaburras which seem pretty tough and able to look after themselves.

The only really fool-proof method I've found is to net the tree(s). It's not an attractive solution, but it definately works.
Good luck!

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Thanks Alex. I have seen owls where I live, but not the other birds. You and Marty have given me some good ideas to try, so I will give them a try. The cockatoos arrived today, and they are really hard to scare-I can walk right up to them and they just look at me-too used to humans, I think

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Originally Posted by Waxing_Gibbous

Like you I have yet to see an almond thanks to the Cockies.
Or a plum, nectarine or peach for that matter.
I found the "Flee for your lives" worked really well.
For about a week.
Then they got used to it. Or went deaf.

I could be imagining it, but the birds around here seem to have developed co-operative behaviour when it comes to predators (the cat doesn't count-she's scared of birds).
One lot, usually the blackbirds and crows, will fly high cover against the wedgetails and hawks, while the parots and cockatoos feed on the ground.
Then, later, the situation is reversed!
Out of the loop are the kookaburras which seem pretty tough and able to look after themselves.

The only really fool-proof method I've found is to net the tree(s). It's not an attractive solution, but it definately works.
Good luck!

Thanks Peter

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi Laurie,

Netting will save a large portion of the crop. What happened to me some years ago:
Netting was placed over young mangoe trees. There were folds and double layers of netting. A crow and a Rainbow Lorrikeet found entry.
The dogs went in after them. I ran down to see what the commotion was.

The birds were already dead. I used the bodies to warn off the flocks. They did not come back.

Crows still after 5 years do not venture onto the ground anymore on our two acres here.
The Lorries are a little braver or stupid. I have to net the Lichees and custard apples from them. I have other means for the Pecan nuts that are under attack by cockatoos.

Mangoe trees are just too big to net and the Lorries seem to leave them alone anyway. I can not explain that. Yet they attack the other fruits.

By netting you may inadvertantly trap a bird. Which you need to release. Record its cries.


Cheers

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Thanks for your advice, Marty.

[ourkind (Carlos)]

Originally Posted by Baddad

The SECRET:

Birds have a vocabulary. Yes, There are around 20 or more "words".

Lol Marty that reminds me of a great documentary I watched many years ago "Animals are Beautiful People" and they feature a bird that has a warning call which remarkably sounds like its saying "go away".

If you guys/gals haven't seen this dock and love animals I recommend watching it!

Nice photo Laurie! What a poser