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We had a pair in our garden the past few weeks, regular visitors to the bird feeder. I'm no twitcher but my father in law said he was very doubtful they really were bullfinches as they weren't that common so I was always quite excited to see them, and confirm that they were indeed bullfinches.
Anyway I get home today to find mrs bullfinch dead on the patio and our cats looking all too pleased with their efforts. Why did it have to be mrs bullfinch? I'm feeling quite sad about it.
shoot the cat, next time it could be a baby robin.
Shoot your cat, that'll learn it.
I may fit them with bells.
I'm with Mr Nutt, time for a bbq?
yep then they can hang themselves whilst out climbing trees and then a family of bullfinches could nest in the petrified corpse, the circle then remains unbroken.
A couple of summers ago, we were really pleased that a pair of bluetits had chosen to use our nestbox. Things were going very well until the nextbox fell off the tree. All seven newly hatched chicks perished.
I was absolutely gutted.
*wells up*
EDIT: we've got a pair building a next in our new nestbox which is rawl bolted to the tree!
I'm really feeling for mr bullfinch 🙁
derek_starship - you win on the sad story front.
derek_starship, one of our cats likes to climb trees. I got home one day to find four newly hatched chicks by the back door, having been plucked from their nest. Two of them still alive. Horrible.
Feel free to wee in the cats shoes . . .
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Bloody cats, natures wanton vandals. No wonder these birds are rare.
cats are bobbins
Nice one. Another irresponsible cat owner contributes to the decline of a lovely garden bird.
You should be prosecuted.
What is the point of cats? Seriously?
Such a shame it was a bullfinch. Why don't they just take down a pigeon or two instead?
Wheelie bin the cat, that teach it 😉
What is the point of cats? Seriously?
Baby substitutes?
Thank god you don't have babies then! Would you leave them to their own devices to wreak havoc?
Aw no!
Are you in a wooded area? Mr. bullfinch may very well find another mrs. there is time.
On the local canal there is mummy duck sitting on her nest. Every day I've been across to check if the 16 (yes 16) eggs have safely hatched yet.
Guessing that the fox will have a few and the pike in the canal.
I hope he does find another mrs bullfinch. Poor fella. Wish they'd got the starlings nesting in our roof instead.
Hope the 16 ducklings do well.
Will try and get a picture if possible.
I've only ever been at the hatching of ducklings once. They are sooo cute, they climb all over the mother, then are into the water (if there's some nearby) asap.
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Give him this to cut out and keep.
That looks like a male to me Derek?
No you are correct, must be spring plummage.edit.
16 ducklings? Blimey! Do hope they survive though.
That looks like a male to me Derek?
Nah - male is much more vividly coloured:
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Chances are very slim, that's why they have so many. Also a mother duck isn't as good as mother, as say a goose, who will guard her young at all times.
It was a formative childhood experience when the family of bluetits that nested each year in our garage were killed by the neighbour's cat. My views on these sadistic domestic killing machines and the people who keep them are best left unexpressed.
In the US at least, there's unequivocal evidence of the impact of cats on native bird populations, I'm guessing the same is true here: [url= http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/science/21birds.html ]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/science/21birds.html[/url]
I'm off to check out the early scouting party of swallows that has arrived.
Geese are just crazy mo' fo's though!
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you can have some of ours.. we've got 3 pairs at our table
In the US at least, there's unequivocal evidence of the impact of cats on native bird populations,
The impact of people in the US has been far worse:
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so you bait your garden to attract prey for your cats 😕
Hmm yes, I do sometimes wonder if our bird feeders double as cat toys.
Keep the thing locked up and only take it out on a lead ! That way the birds can feed in safety and your neighbours won't have to keep scooping stinking cat sh*t out of their garden ! Yes i've got a chip on my shoulder - cats are pussys !!
We've got two little starship cats. Both rescued and both are indoor cats. The roads are too dangerous and the birds too precious.
They have a widescreen TV each. Mushroom has the front window and Button the back one 😮
You have a bird feeder and you own cats WTF did you expect pretty irresponsible IMHO
What is the point of cats? Seriously?
In our house, their purposes are:
(1) Killing mice. It's an old house, there's the occasional mouse.
(2) Being chased by the dogs and chickens
(3) Sitting in front of the logburner, watching TV
A cat isn't 'sadistic' - it's a cat
Less of the hand wringing anthropomorphism please...
[img]A cat isn't 'sadistic' - it's a catLess of the hand wringing anthropomorphism please...
Posted 5 minutes ago # Report-Post
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Our cat was an awesome hunter. He'd save all his energy until spring - when he would casually climb a tree and pluck the chicks out the nest...
The RSPB reckon that they aren't a big problem
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/unwantedvisitors/cats/birddeclines.aspx
Although TBH they have to tread a fine line. I suspect many of their paying members are cat owners.
A couple of summers ago, we were really pleased that a pair of gay muslim swans had chosen to use our nestbox....
Poultry or fish - sometimes the choice is made for you...................
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I hate cats coming into my garden!! They have eaten all the birds I fed all winter, raided nest boxes, and deposited the remains of digested birds in my flower borders as cat cr@p. This year I'm going to get a giant super soaker and blast any cat that comes near my garden!
On a lighter note, 'when i was a lad' I lived on a farm with many apple orchards. Bull Finches were public enemy number one because they ate all the emerging buds on the apple trees. The Orchard Manager recounted tales of how when he was a lad they used to catch a male bull finch alive, poke it's eyes out, then put it in a special cage with one side closed for the blind bird, and on the other side it was partially open to allow new birds in. The poor old blind bull finch would call loudly attracting all the other Bull Finches into the open side of the trap. This closed automatically when a bird entered it, the new bird then had it's neck wrung!! The good old days 😯
There's a small ginger mog that sits either under the hedge or against the low wall by the Acer our feeders are hanging inside. I spotted the little sod outside the other morning as I was getting ready for work so I grabbed the Nerf Gun and shot at him. First shot went past and he just watched it , so I loaded another which went very close, so he skiddaddled. Second time I've nearly hit him. Trouble is he's usually about twenty feet away, so a bit far for a water pistol. Luckily he doesn't appear to have nabbed a Goldie or Blue Tit * yet. He's welcome to the pigeons though.
Sorry about the Bullfinch, I'd have been heartbroken at the loss of such a lovely bird.
[edit] *yes it's a T I T, alright?[/edit]