Weird effects of the CV - birds

[Casino218]

I live in the suburbs of Leeds. Yesterday I was sat in my garden and I looked up to see a red kite hovering above the neighbours garden. Then it swooped down and tried to go for the neighbours little dog. I ran to the fence and it flew away. The neighbour hadn't seen it happen.

I'm thinking that some of the red kites hover over the takeaway food shops in Leeds and that source of food has dried up.

Just another weird effect of CV.

The owls are starting earlier round here - usually don't hear them till turned midnight now they're hooting away at 8pm. Similarly the geese are honking well into the night when normally they shut up at dusk. Oh and I've not heard any cockerels weirdly for a couple days.

I watched a group of pigeons stroll down the road like they were auditioning for reservoir dogs.

about the pigeons

@Joy

It was really funny, as if they were trying out the place the humans normally are.

Ha ha I think the birds are going to take control whilst we are all locked away.

Not birds, but we had three mountain lions stroll through a nearby large town. But that’s is in the US not too far from the Rockies. They usually avoid built up areas and humans. Beautiful creatures, do not want to bump into one!

twitter.com/mitchellbyars/status/1242110542317096960?s=21

Not birds but it shows how much animals of any kind rely on humans feeding the www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/13/fighting-monkeys-highlight-effect-of-coronavirus-on-thailand-tourism

LOVE the seagull photo

(And caption) LMAO at seagulls self isolating

I noticed the seagulls were attacking the crows when I went out earlier.

The main food source locally would be the school which has now closed.

I'm hoping for a decrease in seagull numbers.

Yep. Everyone saying how cute it is that all these animals are suddenly making their way into centres of, er, civilisation aren't getting that there might come a point when those animals aren't quite so tame and charming.

We live at the coast. The number of seagulls is a direct consequence of them having been declared protected a few years ago. A previous boyfriend who grew up by the coast used to refer to them as the rats of the air and he wasn't wrong.

We don’t have many pigeons here. We have Ravens instead. Big, hoppy, bouncy feisty fuckers that would probably have a pop at eating a seagull. They will operate in packs and have been known to steal shopping out of trolleys.

I have't seen a single bird in my garden this week, what is happening ? do they all have a special inner sense,and have flown away to somewhere safer. ? where is safer though ? My three cats are sleeping more this week, two of them are usually out a bit at night, as in looking for something or other, but not now, all are on my bed after there evening meal, and like they have had a dose of Nytol or something,,

We live in the leeds area, but out towards wakefield.

Red kites or similar have done this for years here. Mum has always had chihuahuas. One was unfortunately killed this way about 8 years ago. They arent allowed out in their own, anymore. As my parents see them hovering alot.

A friend down the road had one in her garden ripping a pigeon apart about 8 weeks ago.

Not sure red kite really eat that much from takeaway bins.

On the upside we might see wildlife numbers increase if this goes in a while, so there would be more food for them eventually.

I've heard an owl hooting much earlier too like a PP.

@Lockdownshockdown you obviously haven't witnessed the red kites in Harehills Leeds swooping in on the scraps of fried chicken from the takeaway shops!

Red kites are very, very common over Harehills, Gipson and Seacroft. A wonderful sight. Plus there are plenty of takeaways still open.
There was a spot on Look North a while back about them, you should be able to find it online.

It almost rivalled the squirrel vs magpie battle I saw last summer.

I’ve been watching a similar battle from my back windows, taking place in a huge pear tree. Two squirrels versus two pairs of magpies, so far the squirrels are winning. It’s very entertaining.

you obviously haven't witnessed the red kites in Harehills Leeds swooping in on the scraps of fried chicken from the takeaway shops!

Jesus christ, no. Really? That must bloody terrifying!

A big ass seagull stole my hotdog is disney world once and that was scary enough. Little buggers, I though they only liked live food. Hence them trying to steal dogs,m and small animals from gardens.

There has been an increase in numbers here in recent years. You might be right. It might be a lack of easy food. Hopefully small wildlife numbers grow quickly to feed them.