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Old 03-20-2023, 07:32 PM
yoteblaster yoteblaster is offline
 
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Default Starlings

Rotten starlings showed up today. On a positive note, a pair of Great Horned Owls showed up 10 days ago and are nesting in a spruce tree about 30 feet from my bedroom window. Never too many hooters. Cat is noticeably nervous now when it is outside though. Nuthatches and redpolls are also back
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  #2  
Old 03-20-2023, 09:33 PM
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Big Lou Big Lou is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yoteblaster View Post
Rotten starlings showed up today. On a positive note, a pair of Great Horned Owls showed up 10 days ago and are nesting in a spruce tree about 30 feet from my bedroom window. Never too many hooters. Cat is noticeably nervous now when it is outside though. Nuthatches and redpolls are also back
I saw a pair of those filthy things on Saturday. My hatred of them is right up there with House Sparrows. Nest box trap is up and waiting already.
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Old 03-20-2023, 11:42 PM
Pioneer2 Pioneer2 is offline
 
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Default starlings

Yes there was a cloud of them flew over the house this am.Geese a week ago and robins mid Feb. Jackrabbits 1/2 brown and chasing each other around.
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Old 03-21-2023, 07:02 AM
Mavrick Mavrick is offline
 
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Showed up at my place a few days ago, and 3 House Sparrows.

Shotgun has been singing, only one House Sparrow left, and downed about 10 Starlings so far.

I'll pull the feeders now as the Red Wings will also start showing up in droves.
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Old 03-21-2023, 07:18 AM
Bushmaster Bushmaster is offline
 
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AAhhhh...that country livin' has certain advantages!!
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  #6  
Old 03-21-2023, 07:25 AM
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Lornce Lornce is offline
 
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They make great fly tying materials.
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  #7  
Old 03-22-2023, 11:46 AM
buckman buckman is offline
 
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Saw my first seagull in Calgary yesterday,sparrows everywhere.
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Old 03-22-2023, 05:43 PM
barbless barbless is offline
 
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AWWW Spring is in the air when the CHIT HAWKS show up. Working at one of the Calgary Landfill sites, we know it won't be long. All the screeching of its "Mine, no it's Mine, no it's mine. Then the crow or raven shows up takes it and the chase is on. LOL. Starlings seem to almost disappear then. The sparrows around here are singing their spring song. They always arrive in droves. Almost 30 at a time, sometimes. Damn feeder. Chickadees come when the sparrows disperse.
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Old 03-22-2023, 06:39 PM
NCC NCC is offline
 
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I went out to cows last week and found a starling cuddled up to a cow. I’ve seen this before and I don’t know if they’re moulting, sick or just cold. I caught it and fed it to the cats but they won’t hardly eat a starling.

We’re over run with starlings in the spring. I pound them with the shotgun and tannerite but it hardly makes a dent. If anyone knows of somewhere to buy effective starling traps, pls post it.
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Old 03-22-2023, 06:46 PM
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Talking moose Talking moose is offline
 
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^ tannerite……… the man takes his birdee killin serious!
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  #11  
Old 03-22-2023, 07:09 PM
barbless barbless is offline
 
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Don't know but ya might need to try and train some predator bird catchers. Of course not just one.
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  #12  
Old 03-22-2023, 07:36 PM
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Big Lou Big Lou is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NCC View Post
I went out to cows last week and found a starling cuddled up to a cow. I’ve seen this before and I don’t know if they’re moulting, sick or just cold. I caught it and fed it to the cats but they won’t hardly eat a starling.

We’re over run with starlings in the spring. I pound them with the shotgun and tannerite but it hardly makes a dent. If anyone knows of somewhere to buy effective starling traps, pls post it.
https://www.purplemartin.org/shop/pr...nest-box-trap/

I made my own. It’s a wonderful addition to the arsenal.
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Old 03-23-2023, 12:01 PM
FCLightning FCLightning is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Lou View Post
https://www.purplemartin.org/shop/pr...nest-box-trap/

I made my own. It’s a wonderful addition to the arsenal.

I thought I saw where you could buy plans for these but can’t find it now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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  #14  
Old 03-23-2023, 12:18 PM
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Strix Strix is offline
 
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Default Starling nest box trap

I always wanted to build one of these but never got around to it.

https://www.sialis.org/documents/hunt_a1%5B1%5D.pdf
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  #15  
Old 03-23-2023, 12:41 PM
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Big Lou Big Lou is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FCLightning View Post
I thought I saw where you could buy plans for these but can’t find it now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I could take pictures of the internals of mine. I had found plans at one time as well. But haven’t looked for a long while. Essentially, it’s just a box with a teeter totter inside that has a little tube on top to hold the bird when it enters up top. Then the exit hole is on the bottom end of the ride which leads into the tube and holding cage. They work so slick. 6 is the most I’ve caught in a day. Just have to keep an eye out for the native birds so you can release.
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  #16  
Old 03-24-2023, 09:41 PM
Sleddawg Sleddawg is offline
 
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This looks like an amazing way to get rid of starlings


https://www.instagram.com/reel/CowA_...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
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  #17  
Old 03-24-2023, 10:40 PM
FredF2 FredF2 is offline
 
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Re: "I went out to cows last week and found a starling cuddled up to a cow. I’ve seen this before and I don’t know if they’re moulting, sick or just cold"

Heat is a good guess, I was wondering if it could be hunting flies/insects also.
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  #18  
Old 03-24-2023, 11:29 PM
FCLightning FCLightning is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Lou View Post
I could take pictures of the internals of mine. I had found plans at one time as well. But haven’t looked for a long while. Essentially, it’s just a box with a teeter totter inside that has a little tube on top to hold the bird when it enters up top. Then the exit hole is on the bottom end of the ride which leads into the tube and holding cage. They work so slick. 6 is the most I’ve caught in a day. Just have to keep an eye out for the native birds so you can release.
Thanks for the offer. I found the plans for sale here https://www.purplemartin.org/
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  #19  
Old 03-25-2023, 09:15 AM
graybeard graybeard is offline
 
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I agree; rotten starlings.....there are not enough pellets for the ol' .177 to even make a dent in them.....
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