CTB: Just like on TV, maybe your windows are too clean!

Ironically, they hadn't been cleaned for nearly a month, the cleaner came on Monday, I took the photo the previous Saturday!! Although we had had a very heavy rainfall the previous week so perhaps they weren't as dirty as they might have been....

I like the hawk bird scarers and will get some. Thanks for the info on clings, Gin. May be a net curtain would help.

Tiffid: Unfortunately, the sparrowhawk is a resident. I say "unfortunately" because although I love hawks and falcons, watching them kill things in your own garden is not so nice. Especially when your gutters are full of sparrows nesting every year - since farming got chemical and intensive and people in the seventies stopped feeding wheat based bird foods, the house sparrow has been in decline in this country, so I am rather proud of my sparrow families! The sparrowhawk is beautiful and I have spent quite a lot of time photographing him.

I had a friend that walked into a sliding glass door in the middle of a party. Knocked him right on his butt. It took him about one second to hop up. Took me about 30 minutes to stop laughing. The bird incident is not funny but it does bring back funny memories.

Birds colliding with windows
 

Back in the 60's my DH's family was in the electrical contracting business and we had an office building. When the weather was nice we would open the front and back doors to let in the breeze. The back door did not have a screen door. Several times sparrows entered from the back door, flew through the dark shop area and knocked themselves silly on the big front window. I usually picked them up and held them till they regained consciousness and let them fly away. I don't recall one ever dying from the experience but it was a shock to be sitting at my desk when all of a sudden WHAM.
Beverly A.

We have big plate glass windows and usually get a bird hit or two during migrations in the fall. I've read that if you put bird feeders right on or near the window, they are slowing down as they approach and don't get hurt as badly. Gives me an excuse to put up more bird feeders. I'm not sure if i spend more on bird seed or orchid fertilizer.

Thanks for the Info Hedge. That's something that has peeked my interest now. I love my birds of prey, but a demising sparrow population isn't good (for either species).
Found this article on it which shows contradicting views on the topic. Like most things it's probably a multiple of factors causing the decline.
Soaring sparrowhawk population 'leads to shock decline in humble sparrow' | Mail Online

What ever the cause(s) it's something I will definitely be looking into. Was thinking about getting some bird boxes and and similar. May try and get something suitable for sparrows now.

Beautiful pictures by the way :) Jealous!

wish mt pics were as good as the ones in the link!!

I feel sorry for the poor bird, but that picture is too funny. I LOL'ed when I saw it. :rofl:

That's a good idea too. as for spending more on bird feed or orchid ferts I suppose it depends on how many orchids you have! Or how many feeders!! With thirty orchids, I'm afraid the birds win hands down in terms of feeding costs here:lol:

Well I have 80 orchids, and 9 different feeders with different kinds of seeds. Probably bird feeders. "My" birds are greedy!:bowing

when i read this we had both posted 651 times on this board ! Spooky!!:rofl: