How to go Veggie? Click this link
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I don't understand......
I don't understand why house sparrows have to nest so high up. They're nesting under the eaves of our roof and on most days, I find a dead or badly injured baby bird on the ground below. As a fledgling cannot yet fly properly, the first venture from the nest is going to be fatal when the nest is situated at such a height. Why do they do it? I'm getting so upset and angry that it's happening. I feel like buying a few kiddie's trampolines and placing them directly below where the nests are..... or breaking up the concrete path with a mallet, getting rid of it and replacing it with grass to cushion their fall. Hubby said when the nesting season is over, he'll seal up the space so they can't nest there next Spring...... till then, there's going to be some more fatalities. :( Does anyone have a rough idea when we would be safe to do this?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Good to see you back...........August the twelfth....works for grouse.
ReplyDeleteHand a net under the nests.
Sparrows appear to have done well this year. Long term cat proof hedges are the obvious answer.
Hmmm...curious that the birds would do this. I have no ideas, sorry. But I like Adrian's suggestion.
ReplyDeleteEthelmaepotter
Thank you Adrian. I wasn't hoping for such a gloomy post after my absence, but I needed to shout for help. Not quite sure what you mean about the grouse, but the net is a good idea even though I think you may have suggested it tongue in cheek. Hedges.... that's got to be the solution - something very cat proof such as blackthorn or hawthorn :)
ReplyDeleteHello Ethelmae, thank you for stopping by. :)
Hi Lesley,
ReplyDeleteWe've had the "spuggies" nesting above gutter level in the past and its very sad to see their poor babies hurt or killed under such circumstances. I don't know why they do it.....logic says they can't survive leaving the nest for the first time.
House Sparrows have 2 or 3 broods sometimes so to be on the safe side i would leave any work to stop them 'till late in the year. There's no rush...as long as you beat the bad weather foir going up the ladder.
Nice to have you back!
Lovely to have you back dear Lesley. I cannot suggest what time of year would be suitable for sealing up the space as I am not familiar with the breeding habits of sparrows. Perhaps they build their nests up high to protect their babies from predators. I was thinking of a hedge underneath also, something soft to break their fall without injuring them. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLove your new hair colour! :)
xoxoxo ♡
Hi Johnny. It's good to be back - I didn't mean to stay away so long!
ReplyDeleteYes, we'll leave the work for as long as we can. I'm not happy about Billy going up the ladder at such a height. The roof goes up at a sharp angle. However, he insists he'll manage. We'll do all we can to ensure this doesn't happen next season.
Hello Dianne. :) I'm sure you're right about them doing this to protect the babies from predators. I've seen jackdaws on the roof and suspect they could be causing the baby sparrows to fall from their nest. It's so sad. Thank you for the compliment on my hair. This is my natural colour now - I just haven't used any dye for ages. :)
Very Pleased to have you back:))) How's the garden..apart from the poor little sparrows? Could you put a big pot of flowers under their descent line to break their fall..although you would still then need to get them back in the nest so probably wouldn't work too well..you would just end up with a lot of orphans to raise.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen :) We got the clearing up done and planted up a little. It's quite nice, but I don't think it'll start to look really good until next season. But I'm so glad all the heavy work has been done..... it was a real slog! :D
ReplyDelete