TreeHuggerOrNot

No TPO which surprised us, there are other TPO'd trees nearby though. We will try the spikes on certain branches (although they perch quite high) and try a trap I found on the web (the trap man), it is not only the neighbours that make the lethal option difficult but having smallish children around a lot. We can tell the children they are being re-homed . Perhaps my aim needs to be better as my husband is out when my children are out! I have wondered about bird scarers as well as farmers use them. The arbour is a possibility but will cost a lot and I wouldn't want a carport looking thing. It is very shady there in summer so not a lot might grow. The David Austen garden sounds like a good place to visit. It would be a lovely spot to sit there at the back if one didn't think something would land on ones head! All mess now gone (for a day or so) due to a patio wash by my husband I will remove this thread (I think I read I can do that) when there are no more responses/ideas due to incriminating evidence!

Paul, the pigeon mess is the main thing, without the mess we can live with the shade (there are deciduous tree both sides of ours) and the lack of privacy for six months of the year. The mess is big dollops, worse at this time of the year and for the next few months. I have small children who want to run around bare foot, even if I stop this they get it on their shoes. Anybody with small children knows that they get things everywhere and all over them, I can cope with mud but excrement I cannot. I've had enough of trying to scrap up mess before their friends get it all over their shoes when they come round. We have used the lethal method with some success but the legal side worries us and any neighbours seeing us, the stereo type is air rifles are for teenage hoodlums. I've spent a lot of time on the net looking into decoys, spikes, harris hawks and pigeon contraceptives! (used in London I think). There doesn't seem to be a legal solution that works even if it takes some money/time. I've said before it is a fantastic tree.

I like what you say AlvinD, not sure about the tongue though! We've tried to live with it for three years and I've reached the end of my tolerance. We could grow an evergreen hedge at the back and at least block out that house.

From reading on the web wood pigeons are moving into towns (like foxes have) as life is easier, I guess from all the bird feed put out. A town near us we used to live in doesn't have lots of pigeons so I'm not sure it is natural when our tree is not a wood! We think the tree is fantastic (pity about the house behind!) but I cannot tolerate the mess any longer. I stop my children going out on days when I can't face scrapping it all up - it is big dollops, not the small splats one gets from birds. I'm keen to hear more about the air rifle option, we did some reading, again on the web and thought you can only shoot if they are a public nuisance. Presumably I could pay somebody from the local rifle club if it is legal, I live in a small town where everybody knows each other and I don't want to become know as the local exterminator!

Have a look at the pigeon mess in the photos I've attached. I have small children and a garden that is 90 feet so don't want to devote a quarter of it to pigeons! We tried the lethal method but it is too tricky with all those neighbours overlooking us and more pigeons just arrive. I've read bird scarers don't work unless they are moved, we have lots of red kites here as well and they don't put the pigeons off. It is a lovely shape but I've reached the end of my tolerance with scraping up pigeon mess before it gets all over my children and their toys. If anybody knows that a decoy does work (actually seen it working) we are willing to try. Thanks for any feedback.

I'd like to have our hornbeam pollarded, could anybody tell me how much it will grow after a couple of years, then after five years and then ten years? When will the branches be as thick as my arm? We have a big problem with pigeon mess under the tree and am trying to get an idea of how quickly the pigeons will be back. Thanks for any info.