Kitchen Garden Forum

I have a rather sad story to tell today: we have been watching a pair of lovely dainty willow warblers building a nest in our garden (the first time we have ever had them nest there). The nest was just by our back door and they worked hard, building the nest, then patiently sitting on the eggs and, for the last few days, feeding the youngsters. Only last night I peeped into the nest with a torch and saw the young birds all cuddled up together. This morning - disaster! The whole nest had been destroyed by a cat, probably the same large black tomcat which we saw pulling a robin's nest out of the ivy and eating the young birds last year. And worse was to come: in mid-morning, the female arrived with food in her beak and sat on our gate, next to where the nest had been. Oh, it was so sad, I could have cried.
Next time I see that cat in our garden, I will let it have an extra strong blast with the hose, or worse. We have a friend who maintains that all cats should have their tails docked - behind the ears. And I must admit, I agree with that today.

Hi Monika,

Cats really make you sick don't they It's not as if they need the food is it. I've had a frog going about his business in the borders lately, but yesterday I found his foot on the path, so I assume that big old black cat from up the road has been in the garden again

My little cat usually catches mice rather than birds, but within half an hour last week she had caught and eaten a baby blue tit and a young dunnock. I tried to get them off her but they were already dead and she made sure I couldn't get them by eating all but a leg and a couple of wing feathers. She knew I was cross with her and wouldn't come in for ages.

I have managed to stop the neighbour's cat hiding under the hostas and ambushing the birds on my bird table by putting spoonfuls of very old jam under the overhanging leaves. I had tried putting all the berberis clippings and other prickly things under them and all its other hiding places but it just moved them out of the way, but it hasn't been under since I put the jam there - doesn't like sticky feet. I hope it doesn't get a liking for strawberry jam. It was 1995 vintage, so no great loss.

Another use for old jam is to put a couple of spoonfulls into the bottom of a jam jar half filled with water and hang them with string in the plum trees to catch wasps. The only draw back is that the Comma butterflies like it too so I put some widish mesh across the top to keep them out.