Dead birds

[WhattheFishappening]

Our garden has quite a few large shrubs, bushes and densely planted areas, different areas on different levels so not just flat grass and borders if you see what I mean.

It seems to be a garden where birds go to die or be killed and I can’t cope with it.

AIBU to think this is not normal or does everyone have this problem?

Every time I go out I find another dead bird.

We don’t have cats but neighbours do.

I have a bit of a phobia when it comes to birds. Actually, more than I bit. I hate them & can’t go near them.
It’s a problem I’ve had for as long as I can remember so I’m wondering if the fact that we have dead birds in our garden regularly bothers me more because of this.

What I want to know is:
Is it normal to have weekly bird deaths in your garden? Does this happen to everyone?

I wonder what's going on with all the other birds screeching.

Russell
The rational voice of reason is definitely in my head! I can hear it clearly telling me it’s actually fine but physical reactions take over! Heart palpitations, Sweats, Tears, Shaking. It’s ridiculous.
As I said above, I have the same reaction to animals in general. I can avoid easily but Birds seem to surround my home!! 😂

I wonder what's going on with all the other birds screeching.

I think they are reacting! I’m going to google it!

Strange how I can talk happily about them for hours isn’t it?

I’m the same with birds, OP. Even reading about them gives me the shivers!

It’s a really common phobia- my sister and cousin are the same, and I had a ball busting corporate boss who once confided in me that she would get off her train one stop before her actual stop as she was so scared of the pigeons that nested at her local station.

We have many dead baby birds on our pavements. They've fallen out from their nests in the guttering. It actually makes me cry, I find it so sad!

I had a ball busting corporate boss who once confided in me that she would get off her train one stop before her actual stop as she was so scared of the pigeons that nested at her local station.

That would be me.
There are two ENORMOUS pigeons that visit our garden. I had an argument with my DH just yesterday because he put old bread on the lawn and they were there all afternoon.
I couldn’t go in the garden. I was so annoyed.

I had an argument with my DH just yesterday because he put old bread on the lawn and they were there all afternoon

Divorce.

I appreciate birds are hugely important to the environment bla bla bla, but they can fuck off with their beady wee eyes and spindly scaly legs.

Terrible

The rational voice of reason is definitely in my head! I can hear it clearly telling me it’s actually fine but physical reactions take over! Heart palpitations, Sweats, Tears, Shaking. It’s ridiculous. As I said above, I have the same reaction to animals in general. I can avoid easily but Birds seem to surround my home!!

This is actually making me laugh. Sorry OP, I know it is not a laughing matter.

What you feel for birds, I have the same phobia of flying and dead cockroaches. It would be a dark comedy if roaches all ended up dead in my garden.

blueshoes

Whenever I talk about it with friends/family they all end up laughing their heads off!
It causes much hilarity!
I can laugh too (when telling the story) because I am very aware it is is ridiculous and my reactions are mad but at the time I feel like I am going to die and it’s no joke!!

@MyCarHasBrokenDownAgain

OP, my friends cat could easily cause the amount of dead birds you're describing, she's lethal. She's tried everything - so many bells at one point I wondered how puss could even lift her head. This is the latest idea - and, touch wood, it seems to be working: www.birdsbesafe.com/ Doesn't help you I know, but if you do find the cat/owner could be something to suggest.

The cats on that website all look utterly humiliated.

OP I just wanted to tell you that you are not alone. I feel the same way about birds. What’s funny is I have no problem with spiders, I can literally gently pick them up to remove them when other people are scared, am happy to have them crawl all over my hands etc. But birds completely freak me out and dead ones make me physically shake and shudder. I once nearly got run over when I stood on a dead pigeon in the road as it made me start to physically panic. I’m not sure any rationalisation, aversion therapy or thought experiments would help me with this!

Terrible
They disgust me. If I thought about your description too much the picture would stay in my head and I would find it hard to stop thinking about it!
Phobias are horrendous- intrusive thoughts take over completely!!

Op, you can get battery operated timers for hosepipes/sprinklers- it just attaches to the tap, you set the times you want and then attach the sprinkler to it

I’m not sure any rationalisation, aversion therapy or thought experiments would help me with this!

I agree! My own mind tells me every time that it’s ok, I’m safe, I won’t come to harm etc. I KNOW this!
I don’t know what causes the reaction.

Op, you can get battery operated timers for hosepipes/sprinklers- it just attaches to the tap, you set the times you want and then attach the sprinkler to it

This is what I need!! I’ll look! Thank you!

I’m also looking at motion activated sprinklers too now! Maybe they would be good?

OP - i appreciate that there's a phobia going on here - I'm ridiculously phobic about going into the sea above my ankles (I'd rather not 'go there' and describe it if that's ok).

It is a bit 'birdy' right now - moreso because of the better natural environment caused by Lockdown/cv19 - they're breeding, nesting, fledglings flying around and they're hyper communicating right now.

A lot of the dead ones are cats, but some are bird on bird - seagulls can be a bit evil, to their own and vulnerable littler birds.

There's a little Robin in every little bird might be a way to cope with them OP.

If there were 2 pigeon-sized spiders in our garden I wouldn't be able to go out there either so I get it!

You could try a sprinkler or I've seen some people fill up old large bottles with water and leave them lying around in the garden, which is supposed to deter cats somehow..?

Bells don't work; they learn how to silence them till it's too late. There are alternatives though (e.g. Cat Bibs stop them pouncing).

Clearing the undergrowth would only solve the issue in the sense of removing the birds' habitat and feeding place; we need to plant more vegetation, not chop it down!

It's the cats that are the issue, not the birds. Don't punish native wildlife for their presence.

@HateIsNotGood I love your phrase "It is a bit 'birdy' right now"! Brings to mind another thread, all about a "Birdy" badge that belonged to the writer's young son. The boy was obsessed with his birdy badge "friend", which seemed to have a life of its own and could foretell the future! I think the whole thread was just an elaborate joke, but it did freak a few people out at first. Perhaps not a thread OP would enjoy... but then again, it was quite amusing and didn't involve a real bird.

A lot of the dead ones are cats, but some are bird on bird

Once when I was sitting in a traffic jam I saw a seagull straight up murder a pigeon and then just left it on the pavement. It was like a warning to all the other pigeons not to fuck with that seagull’s patch.

Coffee i’m exactly the same re that feeling of disgust!!! I’m not even sure I could describe my phobia as pure fear, it’s more like revulsion. They make me feel sick, especially pigeons (because germs) and starlings/ blackbirds.

Weirdly though m, ducks and swans I’m totally fine with.

BuffaloMozzerella posted:

"If there were 2 pigeon-sized spiders in our garden I wouldn't be able to go out there either so I get it!"

Jesus wept, that's a truly terrifying image you just conjured up there! And just imagine if they could also fly... this is the stuff of nightmares!

Spiders... sinister creatures with too many legs. The sight of a large spider makes me feel ill. There's a massive one living in our shed, DH calls it his "friend". DH happily picks up large spiders and lets them scuttle up his arm.

rosiejaune posted: "Clearing the undergrowth would only solve the issue in the sense of removing the birds' habitat and feeding place; we need to plant more vegetation, not chop it down!

It's the cats that are the issue, not the birds. Don't punish native wildlife for their presence."

@rosiejaune I wasn't suggesting the OP clears all vegetation from her garden, just that she could clear an area in her garden to enable her to relax outside. Removing a few shrubs is hardly punishing native wildlife. I'm a keen gardener but feel no guilt about the fact we have a patio to sit on.