Wildlife in your Garden

kev said:
Exactly.
There is not a body of water anywhere that doesn't contain rat pee. When you then consider that weils disease can also be spread by amphibeans such as frogs and toads as well as animals such as pigs, cattle and even dogs it's amazing that anyone is still alive. :rolleyes:
It really is a horrible disease but I'm not sure why it's being discussed just because @Eggs spotted a rat in his garden. lol
We tend to demonise any animals that aren't cuddly looking.
I'm just as happy to see a rat in the garden as any other visiting critter. ?
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…you are welcome to come and get our rat visitor, Kev.
 
Runub said:
Never heard of it before. Just looked on the NHS website and it states that you should not touch water or soil which may have animal pee on it. Surely all soil and water may have animal pee on it so that’s a bit tricky to avoid ?‍♂️
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i think its a rare condition to contract but its valuable information to know if you suspect rats have been near about. they`re everywhere though- i saw the biggest rat ever on Grey rd (off Rice lane) dead in the middle of the street, it was like a small dog.
 
Oddball said:
i think its a rare condition to contract but its valuable information to know if you suspect rats have been near about. they`re everywhere though- i saw the biggest rat ever on Grey rd (off Rice lane) dead in the middle of the street, it was like a small dog.
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Sometimes cut though Sefton Park early morning and there are dozens scuttling about especially by that Eros statue but there is a cafe there so I guess food waste etc in the bins and that attracts them
 
Runub said:
Sometimes cut though Sefton Park early morning and there are dozens scuttling about especially by that Eros statue but there is a cafe there so I guess food waste etc in the bins and that attracts them
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we`ve nearly always had pet rats, they`re fantastic things and loads better than hamsters but as for wild rats i`d snuff them out any chance i got
 

….so, early each morning my daughter lets their little French Bulldog out in their back garden for its constitutional. He poops on the decking and they go and bin it later on.

in recent weeks, however, when they’ve gone to collect the poop is missing & we’ve all debated where it goes.

Anyway, they set one of their security cameras up to monitor the offending area and the culprits were identified - Magpies. I was very surprised when she sent me the clip of a couple of Maggies coming down & taking off with the poop in their beaks.

No idea if this is common practice.

Edit; found this.

44EEB7C2-6F55-43E1-AFC0-D2ACE351A95C.webp
 
Just as animal & nature lovers... on the wildlife issue. Our friends who moved back here from London a while ago have just stopped off while passing the waterside at Eldonian Village. They said there were druggies smoking crack under one the bridge and travellers had set up there too.

I asked if the Swans were still there and they said a lady told them a Swan couple are there swimming up and down persistently. Their two cygnets had been killed and they were looking for them. I cant say what I've been saying here as I'd be banned probably. Makes me so sad and despairing of the way things are.
 
Eggs said:
….so, early each morning my daughter lets their little French Bulldog out in their back garden for its constitutional. He poops on the decking and they go and bin it later on.

in recent weeks, however, when they’ve gone to collect the poop is missing & we’ve all debated where it goes.

Anyway, they set one of their security cameras up to monitor the offending area and the culprits were identified - Magpies. I was very surprised when she sent me the clip of a couple of Maggies coming down & taking off with the poop in their beaks.

No idea if this is common practice.

Edit; found this.

View attachment 177082
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Interesting.
It makes sense I suppose if there is undigested food material. Magpies are very opportunistic and quite intelligent birds
 
Jacob said:
Just as animal & nature lovers... on the wildlife issue. Our friends who moved back here from London a while ago have just stopped off while passing the waterside at Eldonian Village. They said there were druggies smoking crack under one the bridge and travellers had set up there too.

I asked if the Swans were still there and they said a lady told them a Swan couple are there swimming up and down persistently. Their two cygnets had been killed and they were looking for them. I cant say what I've been saying here as I'd be banned probably. Makes me so sad and despairing of the way things are.
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It`s a crying shame down there, as it has all the potential to be a very nice place to live.

There`s decent fish in the canal, but you take your life in your hands if you go fishing there.
 
COYBL25 said:
It`s a crying shame down there, as it has all the potential to be a very nice place to live.

There`s decent fish in the canal, but you take your life in your hands if you go fishing there.
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You're right. We had old family friends who were moved there when the tenements off Vauxhall Road were due for demolition the early 80s. It was lovely as most were old neighbours etc and nurtured as for some of the older people it was their first house. I think residents passing away created tenancies for younger families/ people and as everywhere just the bad ones spoilt things,... and still do by the sounds.
 

I let the dog out into the back garden this morning. A minute or so later I looked through the window and noticed feathers everywhere.
Under the bushes I found a pigeon carcass, intact but minus the head and half plucked. It had obviously been freshly killed.
If it was the victim of a sparrowhawk I would have expected it to be out in the open, but because it was under the bushes and it was also missing it's head I'm guessing the predator was a cat. The dog presumably interupted proceedings.
 
kev said:
I let the dog out into the back garden this morning. A minute or so later I looked through the window and noticed feathers everywhere.
Under the bushes I found a pigeon carcass, intact but minus the head and half plucked. It had obviously been freshly killed.
If it was the victim of a sparrowhawk I would have expected it to be out in the open, but because it was under the bushes and it was also missing it's head I'm guessing the predator was a cat. The dog presumably interupted proceedings.
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Sparrowhawks don`t tend to take their kills into cover either mate.

They either take it onto an open branch or eat it on the floor in the open.

They like to still be able to keep a watch on what`s going on around them, so they can get off quickly if something spooks them.

I`ve seen them do this a few times in the woods by us.

Seeing them hunting down a bird, where they do all the low level dive bomber stuff, twisting and turning, along country lanes and through the trees, is up there with seeing a Peregrine taking a bird on the wing for me.

If you get lucky, Hale shore is an excellent place to see them hunting, as there`s loads of smaller birds down there - Sparrows, Goldfinches, Blackbirds etc and they`ll even have a go for the smaller waders likes Plovers too. It`s a perfect hunting ground for them, woods, bordered by fields, hedgerows, scrub and the shore line.
 
COYBL25 said:
Sparrowhawks don`t tend to take their kills into cover either mate.

They either take it onto an open branch or eat it on the floor in the open.

They like to still be able to keep a watch on what`s going on around them, so they can get off quickly if something spooks them.

I`ve seen them do this a few times in the woods by us.

Seeing them hunting down a bird, where they do all the low level dive bomber stuff, twisting and turning, along country lanes and through the trees, is up there with seeing a Peregrine taking a bird on the wing for me.

If you get lucky, Hale shore is an excellent place to see them hunting, as there`s loads of smaller birds down there - Sparrows, Goldfinches, Blackbirds etc and they`ll even have a go for the smaller waders likes Plovers too. It`s a perfect hunting ground for them, woods, bordered by fields, hedgerows, scrub and the shore line.
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Yeah, that's what I said lol
I'm only guessing that it was killed by a cat though TBH, but I can't think of anything else. It was obviously freshly killed and was more or less intact (apart from missing its head) so I'm guessing that the cat scarpered when the dog came out.
 

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