BIRD SCARERS DRIVING US CRAZY!

[snowcrew]

Have lived in the countryside for over 25 years and understand the troubles farmers have with birds taking crops etc etc but am about to go crazy!!

For the last two weeks the farmer has put in the field immediately in front of my house (and stableyard) a pre recording of, what I can only describe as birds being killed, screaming, squarking etc etc. This goes on with intervals continuously throughout day and night!!

The horses have settled more now, but they were even distressed by this repeated screaming!

I dont feel I can approach the farmer as it is after all his livelihood he is protecting but does anyone know if this is only whilst the crop is seeding or will this go on for the duration of the growing season??

It is so loud that I and my neighbour rushed into the field initially to "save" the dying birds!!! only to find this machine!

HELP!!

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Politely contact the farmer and remind him that this should only be going off dawn to dusk at most and not through the night if this fails contact the police a llocal farmer was fined several thousand ponds for nuisance with his gas gun going off through the night.

 

[unicornleather]

It seems to be the latest deterrent and an alternative to the blasted gas gun that we had until recent years going off from 5 am in the morning until after dark, if you have a noise phobic dog it was a nightmare!
The farmer/s using them round here were a law unto themselves siting the gas gun behind the hedge which was next to a row of houses, as well as near bridlepaths,footpaths,care home, beauty spots and a caravan site, people complained, he reduced it then it came back with a vengence, something must have been done about it again as now he only has the gun on for about 6 weeks until the crops are a certain size. The downside is, he now holds regular clay pigeon shoots on his land on sundays and bank holidays and it sounds like the Middle East!
It's almost as though he can't get at the locals any other way!
When the gas gun is in use you can hear it on the next hill about 5-6 miles away!
Maybe the alternative to your bird scarer at the moment would be the gas gun,which is louder, so becareful what you do!
Oz

 

[snowcrew]

Thanks for your support.

Needed to add though, I already have the gas guns going off at intevals as well!

I really hope that they will only be used until the crop has sprouted perhaps?

Farmers are struggling like everyone is at the moment, so I do understand but I wonder if he would like one in front of his house?

On the up side though, my horses are pretty good now with guns going off etc etc! My dogs do stress about the birds dying or screaching though as its a real distress sound.

I dont know if I can contact the farmer at the moment as was hoping it would all stop soon.

Ear plugs perhaps!!!

 

[canteron]

Have similar problems myself, only thing is my neighbour farmer is the farmer from hell, so had to be pretty clued up before I approached him.

I did some research, look on the National Farmers Union site for their policy and also some councils have specific policies for bird scarers - if you google things do come up.

For example, there are suggested distances, noise levels, amounts of time it can go off an hour, time they can start, it also suggested they move them fairly often, etc, etc.

Farmer here actually put kites up after a while, which were a huge amount more effective.

Although I know you don't want to be combative, it sometimes helps to research before approaching the farmer - and some of the alternatives and much better anyway.

 

[canteron]

So sorry, didn't read the message properly, thought it was a gas gun. OMG, I hope my farmer friend doesn't get hold of these, or we will be tortured with those next. (He really is horrible, likes to drive around in the early hours drinking whiskey and shooting rabbits - on our land as well as his - and he is such a bad shot in the morning I have to take the dogs out and put the poor rabbits out of their misery).