[BBC News] Gardens adapted for Manx wildlife

[Newsbot]

Manx residents are being urged to attract wildlife to gardens, after concerns that development on the island is causing a loss of habitat.

 

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/7743794.stm

[Frances]

Minster for Agriculture, Phil Gawne MHK said: "Gardens are the unsung nature reserves of the island."

if we had a cull of domestic cats maybe things would improve as they are major predators of song birds

[manshimajin]

Minster for Agriculture, Phil Gawne MHK said: "Gardens are the unsung nature reserves of the island."

if we had a cull of domestic cats maybe things would improve as they are major predators of song birds

Corrected to take account of the concern expressed at the release of the booklet:

 

"if we had a cull of domestic cats developers maybe things would improve as they are major predators of song birds"

[Gladys]

Minster for Agriculture, Phil Gawne MHK said: "Gardens are the unsung nature reserves of the island."

if we had a cull of domestic cats maybe things would improve as they are major predators of song birds

Not a cat lover then, Frances?

 

The domestic cat was trumpeted as the cause of the demise of the house sparrow, but now it appears that it is our preference for decked and paved gardens, diminishing the number of insects that the sparrow feeds on.

 

When I was a child, the family cat would always bring something in, usually a mouse, rarely a bird. But more recently the cats we have, have never brought anything back. Whether that is because they are too well fed, have decided that hunting is not 'cost effective' or there is too little prey, I don't know, but the modern moggy, in the Gladys household at least, seems to be happier with food out of a tin and lounging.

[Mr. Sausages]

We had to stop letting our cats out in the night, because they would hunt birds at dawn every day. Bizarrely, one time they brought in two budgies. One survived, and was kept as a pet.

 

But now they're either too old too catch birds, or too dead.

[Declan]

A white cat comes-a-hunting in my garden. He climbs a tree and hides there waiting for birds. I don't think it can be that effective since there are no leaves and his camouflage is crap. In fact the closest he's come to catching anything was when a black cat also tried to hide in the tree only to find white cat already there. Black cat scarpered with white cat in hot pursuit. Although white cat remains a regular visitor, I haven't seen black cat since.

[monasqueen]

We had to stop letting our cats out in the night, because they would hunt birds at dawn every day. Bizarrely, one time they brought in two budgies. One survived, and was kept as a pet.

 

But now they're either too old too catch birds, or too dead.

 

Who, the budgies?