[AuRavelling79]

One of my customers has a large detached house overlooking the two Severn Bridges on the Gloucester side of the Severn.

There is a lot of grass and trees and birds are often in evidence.

He's a retired farmer which might explain his country ways.

I turned up to clean on the usual 8 weekly rotation and I see a magpie hopping about on the grass  in a cage about a metre square and just over half a metre high.

It has a water dish and a couple of small twigs to hop on to. Thinking it was a sickly bird being cared for prior to release I ask my customer about it.

He went a bit red in the face and seemed a bit embarrassed but gave me the full explanation.

He said he traps a magpie in the spring to stop it attacking the smaller birds while the young are fledglings. He went on to say he had goldfinches and blue tits nesting and didn't want more dead birds as used to happen.

I asked about any other magpies in the area and how he stopped them.

He said they come down to the cage and engage with the trapped bird and he kills them with an air rifle.

I'm still not sure what my thoughts about it are really.

[SB Cleaning]

Haven't you noticed being a window cleaner that there's a lot of strange folk about

[deeege]

I’ve a similar situation with an elderly retired Doctor who’s also a customer.

Last spring I turned up to clean as usual and there was 4 dead squirrels in his garden, no sign of any pellets or blood so I’d guess they’d been poisoned.

I asked the customer about the squirrels and he got all embarrassed and made his excuses and returned inside.

What can you do? 🤷‍♂️

[Splash & dash]

One of my customers has a large detached house overlooking the two Severn Bridges on the Gloucester side of the Severn.

There is a lot of grass and trees and birds are often in evidence.

He's a retired farmer which might explain his country ways.

I turned up to clean on the usual 8 weekly rotation and I see a magpie hopping about on the grass  in a cage about a metre square and just over half a metre high.

It has a water dish and a couple of small twigs to hop on to. Thinking it was a sickly bird being cared for prior to release I ask my customer about it.

He went a bit red in the face and seemed a bit embarrassed but gave me the full explanation.

He said he traps a magpie in the spring to stop it attacking the smaller birds while the young are fledglings. He went on to say he had goldfinches and blue tits nesting and didn't want more dead birds as used to happen.

I asked about any other magpies in the area and how he stopped them.

He said they come down to the cage and engage with the trapped bird and he kills them with an air rifle.

I'm still not sure what my thoughts about it are really.

I have a customer who does  exactly the same in the middle of the town  we are over run with magpies I regularly have 4-8 in my garden wish I could borrow his cage 😂😂😂😂

[G Griffin]

It's not so black and white when it comes to magpies.

[High-Tower]

Good on him! Thin the numptys out I say! Nothing worse than seeing a magpie raiding nests, eating eggs and killing chicks.

[Bungle]

Yep, I reckon a magpie has had the Robin chicks that were nesting in our garden. Mom and dad going in and out with grub and then nothing. No sign of chicks. Apparently Robins only live for 13 months so they only get 1 or 2 seasons of breeding and then die 

Anyone seen any of those green Parakeets flying about that you usually see in Spain?

[windowswashed]

Quite often see pheasants hanging upside down on a washing line ready for weekend dinner parties

[NBwcs]

One of my customers has a large detached house overlooking the two Severn Bridges on the Gloucester side of the Severn.

There is a lot of grass and trees and birds are often in evidence.

He's a retired farmer which might explain his country ways.

I turned up to clean on the usual 8 weekly rotation and I see a magpie hopping about on the grass  in a cage about a metre square and just over half a metre high.

It has a water dish and a couple of small twigs to hop on to. Thinking it was a sickly bird being cared for prior to release I ask my customer about it.

He went a bit red in the face and seemed a bit embarrassed but gave me the full explanation.

He said he traps a magpie in the spring to stop it attacking the smaller birds while the young are fledglings. He went on to say he had goldfinches and blue tits nesting and didn't want more dead birds as used to happen.

I asked about any other magpies in the area and how he stopped them.

He said they come down to the cage and engage with the trapped bird and he kills them with an air rifle.

I'm still not sure what my thoughts about it are really.

Putting the moral argument of killing the birds to one side, i would feel a little bit nervy cleaning his property knowing he might be taking pot shots especially if he didn't know i was there. Had something similar a few years ago where one of my rural customers had a crow problem, they were making a right mess of his windows not to mention his car mirrors. They're very territorial and see their reflection in the glass and attack. His solution was to shoot them only he had a shotgun!  . I made damn sure he knew i was on his property before i started cleaning.

[Slacky]

I have a customer who does exactly that. I don’t approve.

[G Griffin]

One of my customers has a large detached house overlooking the two Severn Bridges on the Gloucester side of the Severn.

There is a lot of grass and trees and birds are often in evidence.

He's a retired farmer which might explain his country ways.

I turned up to clean on the usual 8 weekly rotation and I see a magpie hopping about on the grass  in a cage about a metre square and just over half a metre high.

It has a water dish and a couple of small twigs to hop on to. Thinking it was a sickly bird being cared for prior to release I ask my customer about it.

He went a bit red in the face and seemed a bit embarrassed but gave me the full explanation.

He said he traps a magpie in the spring to stop it attacking the smaller birds while the young are fledglings. He went on to say he had goldfinches and blue tits nesting and didn't want more dead birds as used to happen.

I asked about any other magpies in the area and how he stopped them.

He said they come down to the cage and engage with the trapped bird and he kills them with an air rifle.

I'm still not sure what my thoughts about it are really.

Putting the moral argument of killing the birds to one side, i would feel a little bit nervy cleaning his property knowing he might be taking pot shots especially if he didn't know i was there. Had something similar a few years ago where one of my rural customers had a crow problem, they were making a right mess of his windows not to mention his car mirrors. They're very territorial and see their reflection in the glass and attack. His solution was to shoot them only he had a shotgun!  . I made damn sure he knew i was on his property before i started cleaning.

Stark, raven mad!
He could end up with a murder charge!!
Oh yeah, he already has one!!!

[AuRavelling79]

Raven mad? Murder charge? He'll be off to Jay'l to Eat Crow.

[james peters]

I would be interested to hear  the thoughts of those who believe in a god or loving caring creator . surely in that case, this is what these birds / animals are designed to do .... eat other birds / animals .  All part of the food chain.

[Gringo]

I definitely wouldn't be interested in there fantasy tales

[Stoots]

Tell him to stop Crowing about his exploits, the Tit`s Robin a bird of its life.

If he gets aggressive and insulting.....

Just say your wife gives me the Hornbill ive heard she Swallows.... Toucan play that Game

[AuRavelling79]

I've been looking up pest control guns on t'internet. Ex farmer magpie murderer said he used a 'little 4/10, a  garden gun' which is actually a small shotgun not an air rifle.

Didn't know that.

[G Griffin]

Isn't he just doing what the magpies are doing?
Is it ok to shoot ex farmers because they shoot magpies?

[AuRavelling79]

Isn't he just doing what the magpies are doing?
Is it ok to shoot ex farmers because they shoot magpies?

Yes and no.

[G Griffin]

Isn't he just doing what the magpies are doing?
Is it ok to shoot ex farmers because they shoot magpies?

Yes and no.

Is it ok to shoot ex farmers for any other reasons?

[AuRavelling79]

Isn't he just doing what the magpies are doing?
Is it ok to shoot ex farmers because they shoot magpies?

Yes and no.

Is it ok to shoot ex farmers for any other reasons?

You tell me.