What are we to do about these flying rats?
First bought here in I think the 1860,s to kill insects they infest the east coast of Australia.
Right now at least 100 are on the roof of my home and my neighbors, we have only tank water.
Far worse,my garden is a life long dream, I have planned it every day of my life for more than 50 years.
It ,my only home I ever owned, has 32 bottle bush trees to attract birds.
Fruit trees and day Lilly's every bulb and native flowering plant I can find.
All fodder for these destructive pests.
You can legally trap and kill them, they after a while will not enter a trap.
In spring they will eat the eggs of thousands of native birds and I miss the small blue tailed Finch's once in every tree.
Are they a problem near you? are 10/80 baits laid to kill roos or rabbits ? it would help if authority's did that for these or let us do it ,leave the roos in pine forests alone.

They were brought here to help control the cattle tick but they soon learned that there were easier pickings (sorry!) on the coast.
They are smart, I have seen them go down the vertical pipe from the guttering on a house to get into the storm water drain and climb back out again; probably good tucker down there.
I have heard that wheat soaked in port wine or in rum will knock them out but I've never tried it (not with grain anyway). However this would have the drawback that if they flew away and slept it off, in a safe place, then you'd probably get more of them coming around once the word spread.

An air rifle is ideal for killing them but the law frowns on using one in a built up area and you'd have to go through all the hoops of getting a Firearms Licence, but once they learn that your place is dangerous they will tend to go elsewhere.
You could get a couple of cats and they might frighten them off for a while.

Anyway, best of luck, because whatever you do some Grssnie is going to object and anything that you do is probably going to be illegal.

I thought a bit before posting this thread.
Googled it found to my surprise they are even in far north Queensland.
My concern is it will be seen as a prod at animal welfare people.
Clearly it is not, we can, by [council says] law catch and kill, hook them up in the cadge to our car exhaust and gas them.
I would give up more than one bottle of Bundy or wine, but not if its just to give them a party.
Once, on a farm the shed would have held interesting things of some help.
It is not possible to get now, some say ratsack, does not work, they love bread and dog food most, and my young ruined once touched fruit.
Any gardener who loves birds and see Finch's parrots kings/Rosella's and the rest, magpies and larks all but Willie Wag tails fall knows why they should not be able to kill them or their eggs.

Belly, I don't think mynas are half as bad as some people make them out to be. I've lived in Townsville for 28 years. There are bucketloads of mynas here, and right up through the Wet Tropics to well north of Cairns.

But there is also a good contingent of native birds throughout the urbanised landscape. They live together in harmony pretty well with the natives.

Mynas stick to the urban areas, and intenstive agricultural areas such as canefields. They just don't go bush at all.

I think that that there are many pretty harmless feral species, of plants and animals. And there are some pretty nasty natives, which have changed their habits as humans have changed the landscape. For example, pied currawongs and noisy miners, both of which I'd consider to be much worse than common mynas.

Species of feral plants and animals that are well established should in most cases just be accepted as part of the changed ecological paradigm.

We should put most of out efforts into early detection and eradication of species that are known to be very bad news in other places and which consequently probably have huge damage potential in this country.

Let's not worry about mynas.

Dear Belly,

If you've got 100 of these pests sitting on your roof I'd be calling in the pest-control people quick, smart. These birds are a danger not only to native birds and other small native animals but they're a danger to humans as well with the diseases they carry. This is serious stuff. The following website might really open your eyes:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2004/04/08/2044900.htm
Myna Fightback.

Personally, I think it's only a myna problem. No need to get your feathers ruffled :)

Ludwig/Morgonzola, do me this favor Goggle them, see we have myna birds native to this country.
And we have these flying rats.
You seem not to have them could not ever support them if you did.
Been 8 years from my last fishing trip, to Australia's best fishing spot, Evans head on the north coast of NSW.
It like every sea side caravan or camping park has great trees and at least 500 invaders, these birds whitewash the ground under the trees.
NO SMALL Native bird is safe so Goggle then tell me what you think
Lexi sadly its a rip of, pest control FEAR using baits, want too but one dead native is big trouble.
So they set traps, badly, these birds can think, see is mise post, if a human goes near the trap it is never visited again.
Out two fellow posters may wish to know, I will post links, nearly every coastal council PROVIDES FREE TRAPS and information on how to gas them.
Up the coast a granny and granddad club exists to kill these birds.
They set traps pre dawn and empty them after dark.
I would prefer baits, remember few birds left to compete and I can watch and be sure only they eat it from my white washed veranda.
Goggle it Ludwig/Morgonzola, then consider what is just above my veranda, my water catchment area/ roof drains leading to tank.
No harm indeed.

My apologies, Belly. I was trying to make a funny, but it evidently fell flat...

Yes, seriously I tend to agree with you. Where Indian mynas congregate in numbers they obviously present a health hazard from their excreta, disease risk etc. They would obviously compete with native birds, but as Ludwig says they tend to congregate in urban areas and on farms rather than bushland.

I don't know how you'd go about controlling them though. Poison baits would be too indiscriminate and shooting would be impractible, given their numbers and the fact that they tend to congregate in developed areas. Maybe some kind of yet-to-be-discovered biological agent?

I haven't seen a native (grey) myna in Townsville for a long time. The brown (Indian) ones are everywhere but, as Ludwig says, so are a number of native birds. I guess the mynas have been around for longer than me, so I have no idea what varieties of birdlife I'm missing out on.

I'd suggest a paint ball gun firing glue capsules instead of paint but then you'd come up against the firearms laws again.
Any water pistol/gun that was powerful enough to squirt Golden Syrup would probably need a licence as well.

http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/newposts/474/post474079.shtm

Organisations/Local Councils
Please contact your local council for the contact details of the Area
Coordinators for the Indian Myna Bird Project.
• Greater Taree City Council (02) 6592 5399
Environmental Health
• Port Macquarie - Hastings Council (02) 6581 8111
• Great Lakes Council (02) 6591 7313
• Hallidays Point Tidy Towns (02) 6559 2979
• Manning Landcare (02) 6557 0244
• Hastings Landcare (02) 6586 4465
• F.A.W.N.A Hotline 0500 861 405
• National Parks and (02) 6552 4097
Wildlife Service, Taree
Websites
• Indian Myna Control Project
www.indianmyna.org
• Birds in Backyards
www.birdsinbackyards.net
• Canberra Indian Myna Action Group
www.indianmynaaction.org.au
• Central Coast Indian Myna Action Group
www.ccimag.asn.au
The Indian

http://www.indianmyna.org/documents/Indian_Myna_Handbookl.pdf

It may well be Ludwig has no numbers or maybe just none of them.
I live in a rural village of about twenty homes.
Our park was ounce the home, true of 20 mag pies,white ones among them.
Mum,in a rented home we then lived in fed them, as did others, we fought out siders who tried to trap and steal the white ones.
They are gone, on buying my home I fed all the parrots the Kookaburras and Maggy's.
They stay out of town now.
The white hawk, not sure what it is, once hovered over the paddock next door, diving for a mouse and helped me enjoy just haveing my coffee while sitting out there.
No cruelty involved I will find a poison.
It will be quicker than the gassing, better than a bloke who puts his, trap and all, in to a 44 gallon drum and drowns them.
Yet ,links here show how bad it is, once the park group got removed, I have no idea how or by who,wish I did, we have two Lady's here.saving them exclusively.
And releasing them , the dangers next post.

Some one like Hasbeen will know what it is like to clean a Yacht after it has been left for a while.
Most of my life has seen me on only tank water.
This village like thousands of others is such.
My veranda was freshly painted just less than a week ago, the Brunswick green is now white in parts.
No health issue? maybe but what does the inside of my water tank look like.
I think my 100 birds is under estimating them, the flock in flight of an evening is huge.
What if they had bird flue? this town, maybe a hundred towns, would be dead.
Such illness exist 150 klm south every poultry farm had its stock killed and burnt, because of Newcastle disease.
The answer is not run water to us,millions spent on a few is not going to happen.
And my councils so lost, so useless it will do nothing in any case.
Others may tell of the very real damage these ,and in my view only these close relations to Starlings do.

Yes I have been out bush cutting timber and they on my block there. They have only arrived in the past year or two I think.

A .22 makes short work of them I must say.

Dear Belly,

I really feel for you after I read that link I gave you. I had no idea that the Indian Myna birds were such pests. As you know I live in Melbourne and in our suburb they're not such a noticeable problem.
However, I'm now on the alert - and will definitely not be tempted to feed them as I might have thought of doing previously. We've got a few in our garden - but not the hundreds that you mentioned on your roof. Our roof is a flat roof and birds are not able to nest in it. So that's a plus. Anyway Belly, Thanks for this thread and for alerting us to the dangers of these birds.

Rainbow Lorikeets have been returning to the suburbs of Melbourne and are amazingly aggressive, they will see off anything (including mynahs).

Shooting off a few rounds from a .22 is banned from the urban environment, probably for safety reasons - quaint I know.

Instead, encourage more indigenous birds, plant a few more callistemons, grevilleas, correas and acacias and a few relaxing 'erbs while you're in the great outdoors. You will be fitter and happier.

Ammonite let me brag about my garden, and tell you why it is my dream come true.
From the southern Highland's of NSW my childhood was in rented older homes.
Rain water tanks wells and fruit trees, old English gardens, hot pokers the lot, I wanted and got that.
Nearly, its a work in progress, no water here just tank and recycled.
Planted 32 weeping bottle bush, from my first day May 2002, now 8 feet tall covered in flowers, they boarder my block, day Lilly's? about 60 will be more, hot pokers every bulb and type I can get.
The birds have not always been here or even up north it is an invasion, very true.
No gun here you just could not do it, it would get you in prison.
A tree, at nesting time, is a horror story if its their home sketching squawking nigh mare.
No thing like it read those links, be happy most of the infection is near coast or City's but no flock of any bird is as big.
I will get rid of these birds then the next wave but look them up see just how invasive they are Morgonzola no worries mate sending 500 to Ludwig however.

Myna's are not a problem for boats. With private yachts it's the swallows that are bad. When they chose to roost on a yacht, they do so on the life lines is large numbers. It only takes a week or so for a mound of bird poo, an inch high by 2 wide will circle the yachts deck below the lines. This stains, & is a smelly & difficult chore to remove.

However this is nothing to the havoc caused out at the reef by the gannets. For our outer reef cruise I installed a 20 by 10 meter pontoon at a suitable reef, 40 nautical miles out to sea, & a 20 meter coral viewing vessel configured to appear as a submarine.

To show their appreciation of these 2 artificial islands we had provided, the gannets moved in in very large numbers, paying their rent in guano.

My first response was to install a 50,000 gallon per hour fire pump, & a couple of fire hoses on the sub. Two men, in a rather smelly operation could remove 24 hours guano buildup in about 15 minutes. It was not something you wanted to do while 240 tourists waited to go explore the reef.

I then installed the largest of those electronic bird scarer things. The gannets loved it. They made it their toilet of choice, & in 3 days could completely hide the 3' by 2' by 2' housing in their gifts.

When a period of heavy weather had meant a few days when we did not visit the reef, & clean our gear, I would have to fly a couple of blokes out by sea plane, a couple of hours before the boat full of tourists arrived. It took an hour of cleaning, & then another hour for the smell to clear. This was quite expensive.

Continuse

Continued.

Then a cruise boat tried to operate as a floating hotel in a lagoon near by our instillation. I had a permanent booking for a skipper for the sub, & rotated the skippers on a regular basis. This worked until the hotel operation failed.

Next I installed a luxury mining sight type accommodation unit on the pontoon, along with a generating plant, water & waste facilities etc, but staying out there was not popular with skippers, after the first time or two.

Then I got lucky. I found a totally sex obsessed skipper, who had recently taken up with a young tourist girl similarly obsessed. I hired him, & shipped them both out to the reef pontoon. For over a year I had no worries about gannets, guano, or anything else out there. I did maintain a room in the staff quarters of a resort for them. We would bring them in during prolonged bad weather, when we could not take tourists out there. Otherwise they were perfectly happy playing Adam & Eve among the fishes, out the reef.

The skippers told me they had a minor worry. There were a couple of occasions when the nature boy & girl had forgotten to dress when the tourists arrived, & they would nervously study the pontoon with their binoculars, as they approached, to make sure this had not happened again.

Unfortunately, after a bit of an argument, she climbed onto a passing prawn trawler, bound for the gulf, & was never seen again. It had been such a bonus for me, having them out there that I always wanted to ask Allan if it had been as good for him as it was for me, but was worried he may not see the joke, & take it the wrong way.

Thanks Belly, for reminding me of Allan & his nature girl, my fight with birds, & some of the funnier bits of my time in the tourist industry.

Belly

I am very happy to hear about your little piece of paradise. We're more on the same page than off it.

I love my little place here in the ranges as much as you love yours, paid rent for too long also.

Yes knew what your problem would be hasbeen mine is different birds and in truth not as bad, due mainly to my little Lady's.
Too bad, no its not, they are little foxy females.
Strange,not your Alan but a boss, owners a fair sized firm down here, is living on one of those barges looking after tourists.
A GOOD BLOKE, HATES UNIONS, but my mate, nearly died pressure of work.
Took of and loving it, he has much in common with your Alan.
I would like to hear from coast livers who have these pests, remember we have native mynas they are no problem.
Ammonite think you will see few of these in the hills.

I have done quite a lot of research between posts.
And the issue is puzzling me.
Any Googleing will see plainly these birds are a pest.
Councils, quite a lot of them, are lending traps and informing us how to kill and dispose of these birds.
Worth noting they warn be careful, these birds carry illnesses.
You can not buy poison to kill them.
Can not shoot them in near townships, they live in townships.
In near by parks 1080 baits are spread, sometimes , believe me, to kill Dingos,you will not hear of it but true.
Dingos have killed pet dogs on Beach's, in front of owners on holidays, tourist dollars count more than residents health.
I will break the law, not get caught but will explore poison plants
I would only use one that kills quick not after great pain or suffering.
But what if, what if these thousands of exposed tank water drinkers do one day get very sick.
No bird I am aware of threatens water as these do.

http://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/myna/minimising.html
Ludwig, like your opinion on this link mate.
It is apparent you do not have these numbers in your area, maybe none of them.
This link even stopped me in my tracks but is one of hundreds telling off them

Belly, thanks for seeking my opinion.

For many years, in fact all of the 28 years that I’ve been in north Queensland, I’ve been hearing about mynas and how bad they are supposed to be. But it just doesn’t add up.

They are abundant in Townsville and throughout the towns and canelands of the Wet Tropics up as far as the top end of the cane country at the Daintree River, and up onto the Atherton Tablelands.

Strangely, they are abundant in the lower Herbert around Ingham, north of Townsville, which is an intensive sugarcane region, but absent from exactly the same sort of country in the lower Burdekin, southeast of Townsville. They are absent from Mackay and Rockhampton, then present in an isolated population at Childers and common in Brisbane and extending a long way inland from there.

I’ve seen mynas in Sydney other places in NSW, and around Melbourne. I get the impression that they like the warmer climates and are much more abundant (with a higher population density) in north Queensland than further south.

However, everywhere that mynas occur in the north, a considerable variety of native species also occur, even in environments that are very highly anthropogenically altered.

So I would think that while mynas have no doubt been shown to have some negative impacts on native species, it is pretty minor, all considered.

There’s another aspect to this story. It is one that has cost me a great deal of angst over the years. It is my greatest criticism of ‘greenies’. It is the great tendency for so many people to be concerned with very minor aspects of environmental damage while not having any input into the big issues.

I’m not extending this criticism to you at all Belly, as you are interested in all sorts of stuff, including sustainability, population, etc. But within the Greens, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the North Queensland Conservation Council and all manner of other groups, there is a great deal of concern about all sorts of relative minutiae while there is very little concern about the big picture.

Everyone who is concerned about the impact that mynas may be having should surely automatically be MUCH more concerned about the continuous conversion of our natural environment into intensively humanised environments, and all the other impacts that us FERAL humans are having on this continent, and planet.

Thanks for your thoughts Ludwig, first I am very anti green/false or uninformed conservationist groups.
More harm than good comes from them always.
Had my usual Saturday for nearly every one after I left work.
Market day plants and food growers two today.
I am creating a jungle, with intent, bought three, now have 14 blue bird of Paradise plants, have 32 of the smaller orange or yellow ones all are baby's .
But mate did you goggle them?
I put my name down for a trap, with council, every north coast to central coast councils lending them, and telling us how to kill them.
My trap come in September, such is the wait.
Every stall holder,both markets,tells of shooting them ,they kill and eat even their own young,we are talking of the yellow beak brown near black top ones are we?

This is the culprit Belly

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200709/r186930_697232.jpg

And the following details the difference between the pest and the Australian Noisy Myna.

http://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/myna

Belly, yes just to confirm: I am talking about the black-headed brown birds with yellow beaks and very cheeky demeanour, as pictured in the link that you provided:

http://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/myna/minimising.html

and Ammonite’s link.

Yes I’ve googled them.

I wonder how many of the councils that are providing traps, and wanting to be thought of as environmentally conscious as a result, are also very actively facilitating rapid human population growth and the consequent large-scale destruction of natural habitat?

Every one of them I would think.

Ammonite thanks, yes I have read tens of pages.
Ludwig, we differ here, once a sporting shooter I gave it up after a companion shot a double barrel at ducks, then left 11 in a dam.
But I did continue to hunt, Ferrel cats only.
These birds mate are invaders, are real trouble, and let me asure you every coastal council, not known to be unkind to animals, kills them.
Hendra virus, not transmitted to humans other than from fruit bat to horses but deadly.
What if?
Here by the way we have enought fruit bats to blacken the sky every night as they take off to feed.
And I will bet in our area these birds out number them with ease.
I think if we look at cane toads, these birds, rabbits, Lantana, cat and dog owners who introduced breeding stock in to our bush to become Ferrel we have room for improvement.
My honey eaters parrots and finches would be welcomed back if I can get rid of the pests.

Belly, unfortunately you are not likely to get rid of these pests.

If you catch a few in a trap and keep doing it on your property, they’ll just keep moving in from the wider area. And they’ll quickly get wise to the traps.

Even if a whole lot of concerned citizens did it, they’d in all probability persist, and in considerable numbers.

Then if by some strange chance you did manage to get rid them, there would still be a host of other feral birds – starlings, sparrows, pigeons, turtle-doves, as well as the natives that have become pestiferous, such as noisy miners, pied currawongs and rainbow lorikeets.

I guess we do differ here, because I feel very strongly that bothering with mynas would be a total waste and misdirection of one’s environmental energies. There are just so many bigger things to worry about.

Belly

Inclined to agree with Ludwig here, which is why I suggested on planting FOR indigenous fauna rather than over worrying about Indian Mynahs. Where I am, there are actually more native birds than exotic, and I believe this is about the natural environment more than anything else.

'Green' doesn't necessarily mean back to grass huts, it simply means living WITH the environment, recycling, researching plant species that are endemic to your local area.

And limiting the biggest pest this planet has ever witnessed - us. Or the planet will do it for us.

http://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/myna/problem.html
This link is one of many thousands available.
Please read long march, one picked at random but it is telling.
I underline its telling of the impacts on natives.
And my garden 32 three meter bottle brush trees.
Weeping type along with ferns fruits and bulbs it was home for every native.
My blue tail finches are dead red tits are too.
What surprises me most, is while thousands of pages exist, full of stories about them, few here seem to have become victims of them.
Note while a random selection it is by chance A product of the ANU.

Belly

I posted the original link to the ANU, with the hope that you would read further. Thank you.

I am aware of the introduction of Indian Mynahs along with many other introduced species, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make here, by posting a link from what I have already provided for you and any other interested people.

I have mentioned on other posts that I have a background in environmental science - that doesn't mean I know everything, but it does give me a good foundation from which to discover more.

My last post was to engage you in thinking beyond the stereotype of 'Green'. I can only conclude I failed to convey my meaning to you. Maybe Ludwig can explain better than I.

Ammonite wrote:

<< 'Green' doesn't necessarily mean back to grass huts, it simply means living WITH the environment, recycling, researching plant species that are endemic to your local area. >>

Yes. Being green means first and foremost realising the urgency of developing a sustainable existence and being involved in attaining it. It also means living with the environment. Part of that is to appreciate that our environment has dramatically changed and that all manner of changes are here to stay.

We’ve got to live with feral species and just accept them as part of the new ecological paradigm, except where they are both particularly bad and realistically controllable!

Belly, you say:

<< My blue tail finches are dead red tits are too. >>

You are presumably referring to native birds in your garden. I guess you mean blue-tailed fairy wrens (variegated and/or superb fairy wrens) and ?? red-browed finches, which have a prominent red rump in flight ??

Then you say:

<< What surprises me most, is while thousands of pages exist, full of stories about them, few here seem to have become victims of them. >>

Do you mean that, contrary to the large amount of literature espousing the negative impacts of mynas, you have actually noticed very few native birds becoming victims of them?

Thanks Ludwig

All of which means by planting indigenous flora creates an environment closer to what was originally available and gives our native fauna more of a chance.

Having said that, I was just outside shooing off a pair of foxes from my neighbour's chicken coop. One really stood its ground until I got closer. Will warn neighbour later when I see them.

Ferals such as foxes hold a higher priority for control than do Indian Mynahs.

Yes planting indigenous flora with bird-pollinated nectiferous flowers would certainly help to sway the balance in favour of the natives, by encouraging a variety of honeyeaters as well as wattlebirds and friarbirds.

They also encourage insects which help to bring in other native birds.

Actually, they don’t have to be native. Native birds will go for all manner of introduced species just as happily.

Ferals such as foxes certainly do have a higher priority than common (Indian) mynas.

In fact, all feral birds in Australia are of pretty minor concern compared to many other animal and plant species.

There are ?no feral birds that colonise natural habitats to any great extent. They are all species of intensive humanised landscapes. Only common starlings impinge a little on the natural environment. Oh, and kelp gulls I guess.

In contrast, we have extremely serious problems with various animals that have invaded natural habitats, not least cats, foxes, rabbits and canetoads.

Then there are many plants that have done the same – rubbervine, lantana, buffel grass and hundreds more.

On same page with you Ludwig.

Which was why my advice to Belly was to make his garden more native friendly, thus increasing numbers. However, agree that some exotic plants suit native birds quite well - particularly those of the nectar feeding variety.

Pity we can't plant things to deter feral carnivores.

Sorry Ammonite, at that time I had read about thirty pages , so did not read your link.
Just forgot to, I did describe my garden, it is sheer native bird attracting.
You mentioned species that will not grow here black clay.
MINUS 5 some winters and plus 40 in summer MY FIRST PICK, BUT LOST EVERY ONE.
I can not agree, just not being ignorant, truly interested.
But these invaders are in big flocks,your link showed just why they drive natives out they are well on the way to being as bad as cane toads.
I am not complaining of the bird dung, it is a health risk.
But of the very nature and destructiveness of these flying cane toads/ rats
We will have to differ on this I join in with every coastal council endless groups calling for the control of these introduced pests.

Belly

Indigenous to your region means plants that are native to your region. There should be an indigenous plant nursery near you. However, that does not mean you cannot create micro-climates to grow certain plants. As for clay - gypsum, lots of organic matter in soil (get that compost heap going). You can also make 'no-dig' gardens. Save up newspapers, old bits of natural fibre carpet, layout on area where you want to grow plants, then pile with cane straw (now you must have access to cane straw up your way), then manure, compost, all in big heaps layered like a lasagne. Wait about 6 weeks, then plant.

I think you are just finding excuses, mate

Here:

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s867068.htm

No excuses for you.

<< … they are well on the way to being as bad as cane toads. >>

Belly, now I might be getting a bit controversial, but I reckon the impact of canetoads is almost as overstated as for mynas.

They are another species that has been in my area for decades, not just in humanised landscapes but right out into wilds, and there are still plenty of goannas, snakes, frog-eating birds, etc around.

Sure, they have an initial impact. But it appears that they quickly come into balance with their new ecosystems and that all creatures that might eat them or compete for food or habitat also achieve a balance pretty quickly.

This is quite unlike the history of foxes, cats, rabbits, rats, goats, etc.

Meanwhile, there are some very sinister feral plants that are having enormous impacts. There are also with feral fungi such as dieback (Phytophthora spp) that are having devastating effects.

There is Siam weed in north Queensland. This is the world’s worst weed. I recently discovered it high on the slopes of Mt Elliot near Townsville, far from human disturbance.

This has surely got to be the top priority in Australia for addressing weeds and feral animals.

http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&state=&s=&ibra=all&card=S20

Ammonite you pre judge me!
In 2002 I moved in to this renovated home, it had been transported with its neighbors from the city.
It stood in a cow paddock.
Facing the wrong way, on neglected land.
But I loved it.
Introduced Carpet, only natural fibers, 2 meters along a 68 meter boundary.
Newspapers too.
Built the soil up with yes gypsum and cow horse sheep, imported that none here, chook poop.
Planted my second favorites your native bird attractors, cost a lot lost them all not a good area every one has that problem with gravillias here.
Now weeping bottle brush,picked to grow 6 meters tall, four colors all actually thought about this mornings post about 10 to 12 foot tall now.
One Capitan Cook larger version is 8 heading to ten meters tall
Under? a host of natives too a large native with tall white spike of flowers? not got the name but yes they will be huge but frogs love them.
Bottle brush are all birds homes and before the invasion even full of nests Willie wag tails defend theirs still.
Calistimon bottle brush not the smaller ones.
So my garden is not neglected and is as bird friendly as you will find.
I introduced native bee nests, one of four is home now to a hive that will live in Peace bird netting in place.
I go to many garden web sites weekly ABC first.
Sorry Ludwig, on this issue I must stand against the idea cane toads are other than a curse and these pests too.
By the way, raised beds for vegys and more shrubs come every market day roll on spring.

Belly

I must've misunderstood you from your complaints about your soil type, the fact that there are various native species such as I have mentioned that are endemic to every climatic zone of Australia. Furthermore, an example of the horticulturalist's craft is the splicing of Sturt's Pea to a sturdy root stock enabling it to grow in areas other than Australia's desert areas. (I am not suggesting you plant this one, even with manipulation it remains a difficult plant to grow outside its natural habitat).

You just appear to be very negative when people try to suggest alternatives and more ideas. This is a topic where I have both practical and professional qualifications. I have no doubt that you are trying your best, but cannot abide your dismissive attitudes to myself and Ludwig.

We were discussing introduced Mynahs, now you have introduced Cane Toads which are far more of a problem than the aforementioned birds in an attempt to sideline, because you know the advice about the birds has been realistic, but don't like to admit that you might be a little overly focused on a problem that is not as great as those posed by Cane toads and other introduced pests.

Its all about priorities. You asked for advice, were given some (from 2 professionals no less) and rejected it.

I am truly sorry you do have me wrong I promise.
Now do me this one small favor,you did find that link.
I did accidental not read it, but after we spoke about it,and before, I have read about 90 links on the subject.
In every second one, believe me, they are referred to by people with your qualifications, as flying rats and cane toads.
Ludwig and I came here in the same month of the same year.
I am intrigued by his understanding of trees and read everything he posts.
I do honestly value your input and his, let me say this, I some time can be rude in print, on purpose.
But never here not to my understanding ever.
An explanation may come if you understand my education only started after school.
I have no understanding of Grammar or any part of-formal sentence composition.
Until about 30 years of age my spelling looked like Chinese.
I am widely read and self tough.
No intention to insult or ignore.
Now please read more of those links see my thoughts and fears aren't remotely minority views.
more about my garden next

Now for my back ground in gardens, I left home at age 15 had been working full time for nearly two years in market gardens often.
After a spell in Sydney,you could change jobs three times day then.
Found myself a store mans job in a plant sellers main store.
Consumed the information, I always do.
Later bought a small business employing 5, selling products to Nursery's around Sydney.
The smaller ones had cash flow problems, so I swapped goods for goods.
Learned a lot about plants but returned to my basic job from then on Construction.
I have always loved gardens, always had one, great palms grow in places I once rented or the neighbors who inherited them.
I forget names of plants, but not grevillias, had one, of 14 live the tooth bush one, too high maintenance so?
Got rid of it my yard however is a jungle, and it suits me tidy clean well looked after but a jungle.
I buy my plants from growers at market days, they are cheaper and the information is free.
I live on information, yours too.
But I promise never intended to be rude,but just read the links,put your self in my place, my neighbor leaves huge amounts of dog food out and these birds inhabit my garden not theirs

Belly

Your neighbour's leaving food out for dogs will attract a lot more than just Mynahs (mice, rats, the occasional snake, feral cats and foxes), of course your 'jungle' will then be used as roosting by said Mynahs. But don't let that deter you. You could buy some life like snakes and drape them in your trees and bushes - I do that for my fruit trees. But then you'll scare off the birds you want to attract.... did you really believe there'd be a single easy answer. We humans created this mess and now we're living in it.

Are you on good terms with your neighbour? He could feed dogs indoors, I always did. Dogs rarely leave food lying around anyway - maybe he/she is feeding too much in one sitting?

Tried all that, the young lady is my Friends daughter.
We get on ok but unfortunately she knows more about every thing than any one.
My dogs are fed inside.
I have reviewed my stand om Mynas, seems every council on the coast from Victorian border to QLD, and some in both those states are assisting in the destruction of these birds.
So no guilt, out to get every one of them.
Worth noting that dog food,is paid for ,white veranda and borrowed my extension ladder to unblock roof drains, not a good sight.

Ludwig this is my final post in this thread.
Your opinion matters to me, I apparently, here or in my firm and unbending views about greens politics, hurt the feelings of Ammonite.
I said sorry but did not feel I had deliberately did anything wrong.
Having asked for your advice, then rejected it I feel the need to say this.
My situation is such,my educating myself too on this subject tells me I am doing nothing wrong.
I have not attempted to poison them,will trap and kill them.
To defend my drinking water fruit trees and maybe my health.
If Ludwig bird flue gets a hold ,it is in my view it will be transfered via these birds.
The size of the flocks the way they live close to and on humanity's waste and left overs.
It entered my head to tell you why I do not take your advice, I am not being rude, would love to know as much as you do about our trees.
But as no doubt you do too Having weighed up all views I act on my final opinion.

No worries Belly. Thanks for that.

I wonder if we will agree or disagree on the next subject that meet up on. Either way, it is always good to exchange views with you.Cheers.

Belly

I'm about as thin-skinned as you - think about that.

Keep up with the trapping old chum, there was some research into creating infertile pigeons, maybe the same could be applied to Mynahs, but have bad feeling that reason that this technique has not reached universal application is due to other birds being afflicted. Seems to me the more we meddle with nature, the more we screw it up. I am enough of a misanthrope to consider the true pest species is the human race - that is until I listen to music, go to the theatre, art centre or simply watch my footy team play in top-form.

Or climb on my own roof clean out gutters and sweep the roof clear and survey the surrounding vista - I have not been able to do this for some time and have had to hire people - it is so frustrating not to be able to do this myself (problems with back and shoulder). In fact I feel happiest when I have either brushcut my property or elegantly pruned some of my trees - pruning is an art say I.

Sorry I digress, am chafing at my (temporary) loss of power. I am not sure about possible passing of bird flu via mynahs, Belly, how would you feel if kookaburras became the vessel of infection? Just a thought.

Ammonite I made a comment in answer to yours to me in YOUR thread about half an hour ago.
Yes I get the thin skinned remark.
Your comment here,both the early one and the latest one,inferred I was rude.
Well maybe in this post and the one just posted.
See it is true every word, I hated school, mum and dad understood, as the eldest in a big,and hungry family,I would not be there long.
Work called the eldest in big bush family's.
But in a town with 13 kids in the whole school, plus me my brothers and sisters made up eight, my teacher hated my dads politics, ALP.
He took it out on me, every thing I did was wrong, had no time for teachers ever since, thankfully got addicted to education long after I left.
Are you a teacher?
Given myna birds are imported, known pest, RSPCA and every coastal council in NSW involved in control that sees advice given how to kill them?
Given I AM A CONSERVATIONIST who made a garden to bring and shelter native birds.
Given Ammonite I asked for information read hour after hour and your Link to University that told me how to trap and kill them.
May I with your permission?,do as I have done all my life, first research, get advice, think the issue out then act?
Kookaburras are my favorite birds.
IF THEY BOUGHT BIRD FLUE I WOULD KILL THEM WOULD YOU?

Belly

If Kookaburra's spread bird-flu, I'd move to another planet. They're my favourite bird also.

You don't need my permission to trap - you said yourself I gave you the links on how-to. Being a little facetious there matey. I recently had to kill a big rat the cat brought in and apologised to the animal while I broke its neck with a shovel. I talk to trees as well.

;P

No I am not a teacher, but often assumed to be. Make of that what you will. I guess I must sound like I am lecturing you - not intentional.

ok fair enough yes I took it that way and say sorry
How about we start again?
I talk to a log, me in my garden chat away like a parrot while weeding

Belly

We may not always agree - but all is well if we can still talk to each other and not wind up in a slanging match.

That places you far above many far more literate who post on OLO, yet cannot extend a hand to shake.

Cheers

Ammonite

I am sure belly appreciates all yours and ludwigs advise & doesn't it sound as if he has a nice garden. Living in the country growing your own tucker is a great way to live too. A few chooks maybe. In this day and age very wise. You know sometimes when people are not well little things can seem like a mountain. Having a job for years and being a leader- then to retire can take some adjustment as well.

Belly there are many gardening a bird watching clubs usually run with councils in different areas. Maybe they have Indian Myna bird problems too so you have some hands on helpers.

Either way the property sounds really lovely and Ammonite i am sure tried to help as much as possible.
This has been an interesting thread to read with lots of good tips

So thanks for opening the thread & all that good advise everybody