Bird Scarers on oil seed rape field

cocobean12

Hi! Not sure if I am in the right place, apologies in advance if I am!

I have a problem with an adjoining field using audible bird scarers, the loud gun shot type powered by a gas cylinder. These have been going off every day, from dawn til dusk since about October. I completely understand why they are being used as there is a huge pigeon population around here however, with the longer days fast approaching I am not sure I will be able to tolerate these going off at 6am until 10pm :eek:

The farmer who owns the land is apparently 'unapporachable' and the council will not investigate an anonymous complaint. Guess I'm stuck with them then! So my question is this.... Does anyone know how long these bird scarers would need to be used on a field of oil seed rape? i.e., once the plants have grown to a certain stage would the birds not be interested in them?

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you.

Mistymaid

I can't help you directly but would phone the nfu and see if they can give you any general advice ... or you could try another forum (am I allowed to say this?) such as farmers weekly?

peter_the_piper

Not that I'm suggesting anyone does so but near here they got so fed up they went down and turned the gas valve off!!! Farmer did so properly soon after. They've only been going off for about a month here, I wonder how soon it stops!!

daska

perhaps there are other neighbours who would join with you in making a complaint? strength in numbers and all that!

cocobean12

I have considered both options (Peter the piper and Daska), unfortunately I'm a bit scared of getting caught one dark night in the middle of his field LOL, and there is only one other guy who lives nearby and he's hard of hearing anyway and I doubt has even noticed them.....! Maybe I should invest in some earplugs?

Mistymaid

There are rules and regs regarding use of bird scarers, and to be honest I've never known one go on for that long ...
That's why I think if you just get a bit of 'casual,' advice, it might be easier to decide the best route to take?

nickj_2

try your local council , they should have a problem noise dept

Mistymaid

nickj wrote: »

try your local council , they should have a problem noise dept

He's done that.
Thing is, this stuff is best sorted on a personal level if you possibly can. I know you said that others say the farmer can be a bit difficult ... but they all can! You just have to meet with them at their level.

If you find out when he can, and needs, to use it, then go see him (no clean car, shoes or new barbour jacket) you can at least sympathise with him but then snide in the regs at some point if you need to.

Hope I'm making sense!

cocobean12

You're making perfect sense Mistymaid, trouble is, I am completely unconfrontational (a wuss is I think the appropriate word, and I'm a 'she') so thats why I'm thinking I should just put up with it and if anyone had any knowledge as to when the birds would stop feeding off the stupid plants then at least I would have something to remind me it wont be long before the maddening noise ends LOL

peter_the_piper

You might find this interesting reading.
http://www.nfuonline.com/x5317.xml
May have the means of solving your problem.

MaximumImpact

We have a number where we live and TBH it's something we accept as we live in the countryside and it usually stops after a couple of months. It's kind of a background noise now...doesnt bother us or the animals.....

(p.s the above is only a code of conduct...it's not official practice or law..)