posted on August 12, 2004 04:31:19 PM new
I had my roof re-shingled a couple of months ago. Now for some reason, the birds seem to be interested in the left over roofing nails in the eves trough. I hear them outside my window rummaging through them and kept hearing this scratching sound. I started watching them and they're gathering the roofing nails and dropping them in the garden - in one spot. There are about 12 there so far and I can't figure out for the life of me what would make them do this. Isn't that weird? (In a good way!!)
posted on August 12, 2004 04:48:31 PM new
That IS weird....and amazing!
I asked Mark about it and he has never heard or seen anything like it before. What kind of birds are they? Some have strange little quirks...liking shiny objects, terrorizing cats, aiming for cars.....
My best friend, Pam, had a robin that kept flying into her sliding glass doors....over and over...getting poop everywhere when it smacked. We figured it must have seen it's reflection in the glass and tried to chase off the other bird from its territory.
posted on August 12, 2004 05:54:57 PM new
KD, Maybe your birds are trying to make a nail nest. Lol...is there a tree in the middle of your garden?
Since I covered my tomatoes with nets, the birds have stopped eating them. But now, the squirrels who are not deterred by a net are eating GREEN tomatoes. Maybe the animal world is going insane.
Maybe you should fry up some of those green 'maters for them! My problem are the cats that like to eat my Russian Sage. Also, my bee balm is now all stem and no leaves! LOL, they look like green sticks coming out of the ground. Whatever animal is out there eating them, I sure hope I don't run into it in the middle of the night. The leaves are minty so I think maybe the cats are eating those as well. It looks like Mortisha Adams' garden. LOL!
Birds and roofing. That is odd. Maybe they're bored? While they're up there, why don't you see if they can clean your gutters out completely? When they're done, send them my way.
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on August 12, 2004 06:34:42 PM new
Maybe they're preparing a bed of nails as punishment for a Bad Bird. Some sort of Asian bird religion. . . .
I'd guess they think the nails are worms at first?? and figure it out fast.
___________________________________
My right to speak my mind, to have a voice, to be what some have called "opinionated," is a right I deeply and profoundly cherish. And my only hope is that, one day soon, women--who have all earned their right to their opinions--instead of being called opinionated, will be called smart and well-informed, just like men. ~Teresa Heinz Kerry (bless her)
posted on August 12, 2004 08:33:50 PM new
You're right Roadsmith, it could be some kind of Hindu bird sideshow - walking on nails, bed-o-nails, etc.
It's the weirdest thing going - they drag these nails to one spot then shove them out of the eves with their beaks - it's like they're cleaning up for me. Maybe I should call the National Inquirer. They could be alien birds (they're sparrows) or part bird, part carpenter ant.
Helen, you gotta get some powedered cayenne pepper. Mix a couple of spoonfulls with water in a bottle sprayer and spray on your tomoatoes - don't forget to wash them before you eat them! You too Cheryl. It works on lots of stuff.
[ edited by kraftdinner on Aug 12, 2004 08:36 PM ]
posted on August 12, 2004 10:00:24 PM new
I once decided to raise a bunch of turkeys. We usually have 2 or 3, but this particular year I got 15. Built them a little fenced enclosure around an old shed. They were the incredibly stupid, pure white, giant breasted super engineered get big and fat really fast kind...they got big as promised, and by fall were pretty well packed into their turkey yard...One day I came home from work, got out of the truck, and was headed to the house for a cold Newcastle before doing evening chores. I heard a great ruckus out in the turkey pen, all of them gobbling and making upset-turkey noises at once. I detoured to investigate, thinking there might be some critter intent on a big juicy hen for dinner...nothing...by the time I got to the pen, they were quiet, just sitting there looking at me with their beady little turkey eyes. I turned and headed back to the house. As I got to the porch, the same commotion started up...muttering some unpleasant spanish phrases I did a 180 and what do you know, the same thing happened. A quick flurry of excitement and then silence. The next morning, a Saturday, I went out to check on things and feed everyone. The turkeys were fine. All was right with the chickens, the ducks, the geese, the guineas, the goats and horses...After chores, I got my coffee and sat down on the porch with a book, which is my habit. Sure enough, it wasn't long before the turkeys went nuts again. I moved my chair so I could see the pen from the porch, determined to watch that pen from a distance until the upset happened again... It turned out, there was an electric line that ran from a pole to the barn that passed directly over the turkey pen. Sitting on the wire were three big, black ravens. We have lots of ravens around here. I have always known ravens were smart, but apparently they're smart enough to be able to have leisure time. These three ravens were taking turns, one of them dropping to the ground, picking up a pebble, and then flying over the turkey pen and dropping the stone on the turkeys, which caused them no end of distress and apparently gave the ravens a great deal of cheap entertainment.
There's a reason those birds are collecting roofing nails. Maybe they're doing it to see what your reaction is!!
___________________________________
Beware the man of one book.
- Thomas Aquinas
posted on August 13, 2004 01:39:46 PM new
Birds are smart enough to recognize items as tools. A pebble to annoy the turkeys, using cars going down the road to crack nuts, and sitting on light sensors to street lights to make them come on for the warmth. They are interested in the aspects of the nails, but, so far, it sounds like a game centered around the nest-building instinct. Much like 'collecting' is a game developed from our hunter-gatherer instinct.
I know of a place in Madera, west of Road 16 and north of Avenue 12, where eagles have been for years. The rancher dropped a tree on the road to keep traffic from disturbing them. Every week as I turned the nearest corner I would pitch out some nuts or fruit, bread scraps. The eagles wouldn't eat it, but the field mice and rabbits would. This brought the eagles out and I could sit a half mile off and eat my lunch and watch the eagles come out knowing I had put out fresh bait. My supervisor probably thought I had my binoculars for job requirements.
_________
Hebrews 13:8
[ edited by parklane64 on Aug 13, 2004 01:44 PM ]
posted on August 16, 2004 10:53:45 AM new
Kraftdinner, I tried the cayenne pepper and discovered that American squirrels love green tomatoes AND hot chile peppers. I took the photo of this little rascal from inside the window. Looks like we'll have to invest in an electric fence next year.
If it is relatively dry in your area, put a pan of water out for the squirrels. Usually when they attack tomatoes they are after the moisture.
[ edited by hillbillymo on Aug 16, 2004 01:06 PM ]
posted on August 16, 2004 01:48:39 PM new hillbillymo, I'll try that! We had some hurricane related rain one day but other than that it has been rather dry here.
I'll leave a pan of water out out and see if that helps.
posted on August 16, 2004 04:24:50 PM new
You could always get a Havahart live trap and take the little buggers for a drive, Helen. That's what I do with the raccoons, at least the ones who are smart enough not to venture too close to the poultry shed
___________________________________
Beware the man of one book.
- Thomas Aquinas
We tried that today! My husband put peanut butter in the trap. The squirrel sniffed all around the trap and was unable to find the door. Hahaha!!! He finally managed to turn the trap upside down...and when it went off he was scared away...maybe never to return?
In the meantime, the water that I left in a couple of places has gone unnoticed.
posted on August 16, 2004 05:24:07 PM new
TerryAnn, I thought so too...but that rascal is driving my husband nuts. Today when he wanted to trap him and take him to the park I protested that he shouldn't have to leave his little neighborhood and family.
Maybe I'm the nut! Hahaha!
But seriously it's a weird problem. We've been growing tomatoes for several years and never had this happen. I told my husband to just give up and we can buy our vine ripe tomatoes on the side of the road.
posted on August 16, 2004 05:31:53 PM new
hillbilly- I always browned them on both sides, then baked. I find if I rub a little oil and wrap in foil, they don't get as dry. My friend wraps them in bacon and bakes. Never tried them with gravy. We always soak them in salted water for at least a day prior to cooking.
helen- My tomatoes seem to have some kind of blight this year. Lots of black spots and leaves dying. The ones growing in the compost look much better!
posted on August 16, 2004 05:38:59 PM new
We always fried the young ones in lard as you would fry chicken and made gravy in the same skillet. The big tough ones hit the pot with beans. Good either way!
My problem are the cats that like to eat my Russian Sage. Also, my bee balm is now all stem and no leaves! LOL, they look like green sticks coming out of the ground. Whatever animal is out there eating them, I sure hope I don't run into it in the middle of the night. The leaves are minty so I think maybe the cats are eating those as well. It looks like Mortisha Adams' garden. LOL!
