Bird Table Floored

May · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 07:38 AM

I woke up this morning, peeked out of the window to see what sort of a day it was and saw that our bird table had been turned over. It was lying on the patio.
As it's pretty much right beneath our bedroom window and the window was open, I would definitely have heard it fall. The top was cleared completely. It had some small black nijer seeds stuck to it which once they had finished the other seed upon it, I was going to clean off .. and they were all gone, so it must have come down with a mighty crash but I heard nothing .. .. .. I have no idea what could have caused it as it's been lovely weatherwise, with barely a breeze and besides, over the begininning of the year into May we had really high winds and it stayed upright throughout, even when trees were being bent at forty five degree angles.

Has anyone else had this happen? We don't get starlings who I know can be bolshy and could cause an up-set .. the biggest bird I ever saw on it was a woodpigeon, but no incidents there and that was a one off.

As I never heard a thing, I have all sorts of paranoid visions running through my head! For instance, the thought that it was our neighbour flitted into my head as she once blamed us for birds pooping on her car

it wasn't like we put our bird table on her car roof as her attitude seems to suggest, though that seems a good idea at times

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 07:54 AM

Hi May. Perhaps a Fox did a bit of investigating during the night. We have had the Fox hoovering up meal worms that we've put in a dish before. Or...perhaps you've slept walked!!!

May · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 08:17 AM

Good morning!

We have pretty high fences, but I suppose if something wants to get in, it will. I never thought we would ever see a Hedgehog here (still haven't) but my mother told me it's a possibility as hedehogs climb fences, so if they can do that, I'm sure a Fox could gain entry were it that way inclined.

I thought it might be a cat but the only cats here are ours (who never goes out since we moved) and the ones living next door and they've never touched the table in their own garden, in fact they seem oblivious to the birds, they just don't even pass a glance their way, which is odd.

I'd be a little worried had I started sleepwalking again, particularly around here!

eeyore · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 08:22 AM

My mother had this happen repeatedly, - her paranoia told her it was nasty neighbours too, so eventually I lay in wait with my NVGs on, and finally caught the bounder in the act

It was a Badger !!!!

May · #5 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

My mother had this happen repeatedly, - her paranoia told her it was nasty neighbours too, so eventually I lay in wait with my NVGs on, and finally caught the bounder in the act

It was a Badger !!!!

Wow!
Well I had decided that our fences were too high for visitors other than birds, but in reality they're about six foot high, so not really a problem for anything that wants to gain entry badly enough. I'm very intrigued as to what it was though and when I picked it up, had all manner of visions of finding squashed creatures underneath

Mark43 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by May

Wow!
Well I had decided that our fences were too high for visitors other than birds, but in reality they're about six foot high, so not really a problem for anything that wants to gain entry badly enough. I'm very intrigued as to what it was though and when I picked it up, had all manner of visions of finding squashed creatures underneath

You lnow that you are going to have to stay up every night now till you catch the culprit.

May · #7 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark43

You lnow that you are going to have to stay up every night now till you catch the culprit.

Oh I fear so!

eeyore · #8 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 07:30 PM

why not set up a webcam to record to your hard disk - they are only circa £20 for alow res one.
then when you solve the mystery you can show us all., and if it is your neighbour you will have proof !!

Lincs Yellowbelly · #9 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 07:53 PM

We often used to have it happen and the most likely suspect is a CAT

bird tables are only made of wood and in a deep sleep you probably wouldn't hear it fall

On the other hand it could be a gang of 50 Starling that decided to tip it up in unison to enable them to eat all the food

May · #10 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

why not set up a webcam to record to your hard disk - they are only circa £20 for alow res one.
then when you solve the mystery you can show us all., and if it is your neighbour you will have proof !!

This would man having to rig up lots of equipment sadly and we don't have the space, though that would be good!

May · #11 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

We often used to have it happen and the most likely suspect is a CAT

bird tables are only made of wood and in a deep sleep you probably wouldn't hear it fall

On the other hand it could be a gang of 50 Starling that decided to tip it up in unison to enable them to eat all the food

I'm a very light sleeper and have been known to hear taps dripping from two rooms away

The neighours with cats have a bird table too and that's always upright but whoever tipped the table managed to clear it entirely of seed as there wasn't a scrap left and none on the floor either. Whatever it was loves nijer seed, sunflower hearts and wild bird mix ..

Wild-Woman · #12 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 08:13 PM

Loves nyjer seed. Sussed it. A six foot nocturnal goldfinch in carpet slippers. Sorted.ww

May · #13 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Loves nyjer seed. Sussed it. A six foot nocturnal goldfinch in carpet slippers. Sorted.ww

By jove, I think she's got it!

eeyore · #14 (**permalink**) 03-06-2006, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by May

This would man having to rig up lots of equipment sadly and we don't have the space, though that would be good!

mine just plugs in the back of the 'puter unto a usb port. you fiddle with the software a bit, which is really easy and jobs a good un

if you do try this make sure its a B+W model as colour is pants at night. Heres looking forward to the first ever footage of carduelis carduelis giaganticus

May · #15 (**permalink**) 04-06-2006, 07:16 AM

How far is your PC from the window? Ours is a fair distance and would mean oodles of extensions and what not to get a webcam close enough.

Happily though, the table is still standing this morning. If it was indeed a cat, then I'm sure, considering how skittish the cats here are, then it won't be doing that again in a hurry!