[JayG]

No, not a request for relationship counselling from a Mormon, but would like to hear other people's experiences about the following:

1) Have got more than our fair share of pigeons in my area (mostly wood pigeons). They are well known for their liking for peas and brassicas but I have my suspicions they have also attacked things like lettuces and even rocket!
I suppose the question should be "Is there anything actually safe from these dopey but destructive birds?"

2) A ragged hole has recently appeared in the roof covering of my shed. I suspect magpies as they seem to peck very enthusiastically at everything else round here that might harbour food.
I'm thinking about some sort of physical deterrent to discourage them from landing on the roof (usually the apex) that would not actually harm them.

3) How do I explain to my neighbour my reasons for attracting and feeding garden birds whilst simultaneously complaining about the problems they cause?     

[Loubs]

1). I think not. One has just landed on my 4-tier greenhouse causing the bottom shelf to collapse, destroying a number of seedlings. Nothing is safe.

2). Try some bleach mixed with water in a spray bottle. Pest Control officer I chat to at work recommended that - I've used that to discourage pigeons from cooing on the ledge outside my bedroom window - works a treat for pigeons but you do have to re-do after rain. It might not do your roof felt much good over time - but then neither do magpies ripping it to shreds....

3). It's a bit like British Rail and the wrong kind of leaves or snow on the tracks - you have the wrong kinds of birds on your plot 

[aelf]

1. netting. 'nuf said!
2. A bit of wire mesh?
3. solve 1 and 2 then you can enjoy the birds 

[Trikidiki]

Attract in all the birds then shoot the pigeons.

Nice pigon breast, pan fried with some spring veg in a few weeks. Lovely.

Could shoot the magpies as well but I don't think thats legal.

[Trillium]

Find some 2nd hand metal roofing sheets that you can nail into the shed's peak area to deter the little varmints.

As for the rest - lots of netting.

Song birds can be safely fed by special feeding stations which shut when heavier birds like pigeons and such land on the landing rails. They're pricey but really do work.

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=48756&cat=2,10719,33068&ap=1

[sonic]

Please be aware that wood pigeons are territorial birds and only a finite amount of land will support a finite number of them.  Let's say you have a dozen on your plot and you take them all out with a shotgun.  Then a dozen other birds will move in from elsewhere and take up the space freed up by the dozen that you've just shot.  The second dozen are currently prevented from moving in by the first dozen.  So you really need to learn to control the birds that are currently on your plot because the problem will never go away I'm afraid.

Incidentally I have a mate with a peregrine falcon and I've begged him to fly his bird over my allotments to take out the wood pigeons.  He refuses on the basis that he strongly believes that urban wood pigeons are all diseased by the rubbish that they eat and he doesn't want to risk poisoning his expensive hand-reared falcon.  Please bear that in mind the poster talking about pan-fried pigeon breast.

[madcat]

1) No, nothing is safe - although they have to be pretty desperate to go for kale!  But they are stupid - which does help.  Spinning Cds hanging from twine round the beds keeps most things safe for me.
2)  Maggies or pigeons - they both have very strong beaks.  Between them they have done for my shed roof once and I can see that it wont be long before it has to be covered again.  A roll of chicken netting on the apex might help;  not stable enough to sit on for long and keeps them above the felt.
3) Who said you have to be consistent about all birds?     I have human friends and some that I dont like!  I have bird boxes and feed them and all that, but still curse the pigeons and the corvids!! 

[JayG]

Thanks for your replies!

The mental picture I have of blasting away at wood pigeons with a 12-bore shotgun from my bedroom window is appealing, but possibly a bit extreme for a suburban garden in Sheffield! 

The chicken netting idea had crossed my mind but I was trying to think of something a little less rustic, for want of a better word. (Some sort of blunt plastic nails on a strip came to mind but I have a gift for picturing products that don't actually exist!) 

Yeah, net, net and net again, was just wondering whether anything was safe without netting as these birds seem to have broadened their palates as well as increased their numbers in recent years! 

[chili]

why not build a scarecrow?

[BADBACK]

EYUP
i put carpet gripper on top of
my shed works a treat

[Trikidiki]

........ Then a dozen other birds will move in from elsewhere and take up the space freed up by the dozen that you've just shot........

........urban wood pigeons are all diseased by the rubbish that they eat..........  Please bear that in mind the poster talking about pan-fried pigeon breast.

Self replenishing larder. Wonderful. I live in the countryside, so unless I resort to farmed pigeon if there is such a thing, I'll take my chances. I'm not adverse to a road kill deer either!