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Norm B

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Posts posted by Norm B

  1.   On 10/1/2016 at 10:42 PM, philocalist said:

    Don't know your house, obviously, but I'd be very careful about letting off a shotgun in there ... you can face some pretty serious penalties for discharging a bloody airgun in your garden if you are too close to a footpath (or even a public road), never mind a shotgun, regardless of your intentions - and firearms-related charges / convictions and penalties are NEVER a minor issue, with many now carrying a mandatory custoddial sentence, even for stuff that would have seen a blind eye turned, or at worse a 'quiet word' just a few years ago.

    Your biggest problem may lie with the possibility of a complaint from a neighbour ... a vague call / complaint to the police WILL result in a very blunt visit from an armed police unit ... I kid you not! The police WILL NOT attend any incident reported as involving a gun of any type without an armed response unit being there - I've even (recently) seen them put up the helicopter locally as a part of their response, after kids were reported close to where we live, in woodland bordering a lake in a public park!

     

    Oh aye - from experience too - add-on shotgun silencers don't do much at all to keep a shot quiet, they do little more than muffle it a bit, way different to shotguns that are manufactured with silencers as an integral part of the barrel.

    :clap3: Now got a fully moderated .410 and a box of subsonic magnum cartridges. Checked with local police, completely legal as long as no shot leaves my garden, they even said they'd phone me first before they send out the ARV if a shot is reported at night in my area. It pays to talk to them first. :clap3:

  2.   On 5/9/2019 at 3:14 PM, Andrew said:

    Been a lot of software problems mate. Still going on. Elton is having a rough time trying to get it sorted.

    :bye2: I thought my brain was fried but had log in and password written down so knew it was the system. :clap3:

    • Like 1
  3.   On 5/3/2018 at 6:08 AM, chesters1 said:

    That sounds a bit paranoid that the birds were 'looking' into your garden ! I would understand if they had a camera or microphone on a pole lol

    :uhuh: I've watched them watching from roof tops, seeing where the birds are nesting, they wait until the eggs are laid then swoop, or they wait until the eggs hatch then swoop. Had a couple of chances lately but ban was on, I understand it's now lifted so back to normal. :clap3:

  4.   On 3/15/2018 at 7:11 PM, ayjay said:

    Isn't that tantamount to admitting that killing Magpies is what a "bad" neighbour would do?

    :uhuh: No, most of my neighbours understand what magpies do to the local bird population and actually encourage me to shoot them. I'd only be a bad neighbour to a vegetarian. :clap3:

  5.   On 12/1/2017 at 11:04 PM, Phone said:

    Norm,

     

    I am in favor of responsible maintenance of urban wildlife. In Missouri the Department of Wildlife will assist. It does require an agreement of minds.

     

    Jim,

    Where exactly do immigrants fit in. (Ohh wait - - - - - we call those vermin controls war)

     

    Phone

    :clap3: The RSPCA gets donations from cat and dog loving old ladies, I don't think they get much from hedgehog lovers or fox killers. :uhuh:

  6.   On 3/29/2017 at 1:43 PM, Leon Roskilly said:

    er, hedgehogs predate on newts Norm, so that fox may be protecting your newts!

     

     

    :clap3: Newts breed more productively than hedgehogs if the right conditions are provided, unlike hedgehogs. But 5 ponds I've released young newts into have been filled in, 2 with builders asbestos waste, reported but no convictions. If I killed a cat, court case, kill newts and frogs, NFA. :cry:

  7. :shutup: I've just got back in after being locked out for over a year.

    Used my normal log in, didn't work so tried forgotten password, had to prove I wasn't a robot, put the squiggly figures in but told to try again, no good. Tried spasmodically over the year but no joy so gave up. Tried today, same log in, same password, straight in no problem, can't work it out but glad to be back. :clap3:

  8. clear.png Top of the range, smoker free. Silver. 1999 T reg. but only 106,000 genuine miles on clock. New cam belt, new discs and pads all round and callipers serviced for last MOT. A/C, sunroof, 6 disc CD/radio cassette player, 5 alloy wheels, roof bars, ABS and traction control. Starts first time and uses/burns no oil. Great car but Mrs B wants new, cleaner car for ferrying new grand daughter around and all that entails. No rust to speak of. Looks good. Garage has offered £750 in P/E but would prefer it went to a good home, too good for auction. Send email for pix. No profit for me so £850, no offers. Update. New 12 months MOT, no advises. 2 new front tyres as I'm still using it. clear.png

  9.   On 4/23/2018 at 6:56 PM, Norm B said:

    Nice but I'd have to register it as a firearm. I have guns to do the job but not had a clear shot yet, it will come. :clap3:

    :clap3: Yipppee, problem solved without a shot being fired. My neighbour has had the tree cut down so the magpies are no longer looking in to my garden. Not a suitable tree near by so shouldn't be too much problem now. :clap3:

  10.   On 4/22/2018 at 10:10 AM, chesters1 said:

    If you dont want nests in your roof or shed (and perhaps paying £40 a nest to have them destroyed) now is the time to sit in the garden glass in hand looking out for queen wasps chewing wood for the start of nests.

    They dislike unplaned wood but look for the telltale 2" scars on fences and woodern garden furniture ,kill her now saves hassle in the future

     

    You will also sse her exploring the eaves and roof (especially non slate roofs)for nest sites ,same applies!

    :clap3: Had a wasp nest in my last house under the floor boards, they got in through the air brick. Not a problem until neighbours kids started faffing around and trying to shoo them away and one got stung. Kids parents got all leery and wanted the nest destroyed, I just banned their kids from the garden, no more problems. Got one in our roof, they come every year, not a problem I just move very carefully when in the loft, the nests are the size of footballs and I've not been stung yet, famous last words. :clap3:

  11.   On 4/22/2018 at 5:19 PM, chesters1 said:

    Sorry they do but only a few in the flock breed but its a flock no-less ,we get a mix of magpies and jackdaws happily co-existing all times of the year in our back field and that includes nesting time

     

    No idea if its a pecking order that controls the few that breed but i am sure if you kill the breeding ones others will take over the cycle if theres time.

     

    At the moment theres a pair of jackdaws and a magpie removing hair from the bull lol

     

    Unfortunatly opening the back door with the camera caused the bull to come down expecting a treat dislodging its barbers

     

    PS if you want to kill magpies without the neighbours noticing a slice of bread expanded foamed glued to a bit of board will keep the bird occupied long enough to dispose of it with an air rifle .

    Put the bait out in the dark and wait at dawn they will spot it lol

    :clap3: I don't have a problem with neighbours seeing what I do but don't want to upset any by dropping a magpie in their garden or a pellet or pellets causing distress. :clap3:

  12.   On 4/22/2018 at 10:42 AM, Norm B said:

    :clap3: Well it's looking promising on the newt front. Loads of palmate and smooth newts and have seen at least 3 female GCN's and 2 male GCN'S, all the females are actively engaged it spawning. Only 1 frog though so it looks like the early spring followed by a hard freeze has done for them. I saw a very large weather loach swimming around, one of the very small pair I put in when I had the pond made, don't know if it's male or female so can't get one to make a pair, shame. Haven't seen the dog fox since I bought the trap, probably the cats getting caught has scared it off, hopefully it won't return. Got a couple of hogs feeding, hopefully they are a pair. Can't get a "safe shot" at the magpies but the blackbirds are being very careful leaving and returning to their nest so there is hope yet. :clap3:

    :clap3: Got called upstairs by a worried Mrs B. a "CREATURE" was on the landing net curtains, I guess it was a hornet, not seen one before but about 3 times the size of a wasp but darker. I captured it in a glass and released it unharmed, it flew around me a few times but then flew off. On the newt front, been out by the pond in the sun, there seems to be an abnormal amount of palmate males for some reason, they are harassing the female smooth newts, might have to "import a couple of female palmates to even up the numbers. :clap3:

  13. :clap3: Well it's looking promising on the newt front. Loads of palmate and smooth newts and have seen at least 3 female GCN's and 2 male GCN'S, all the females are actively engaged it spawning. Only 1 frog though so it looks like the early spring followed by a hard freeze has done for them. I saw a very large weather loach swimming around, one of the very small pair I put in when I had the pond made, don't know if it's male or female so can't get one to make a pair, shame. Haven't seen the dog fox since I bought the trap, probably the cats getting caught has scared it off, hopefully it won't return. Got a couple of hogs feeding, hopefully they are a pair. Can't get a "safe shot" at the magpies but the blackbirds are being very careful leaving and returning to their nest so there is hope yet. :clap3:

  14.   On 4/17/2018 at 11:01 AM, wellyphant said:

     

    A couple of weeks ago, I was driving home from Cheshire after enjoying a bank holiday weekend in Nantwich with some friends. I was travelling Northbound on the M6 with my young son in my father's Campervan.
    I noticed a police car following me but was not worried as I thought everything was in order and I'd not been speeding. You can imagine my surprise when the officer switched on his blues to pull me over.
    The officer asked me to sit in his car where he would explain to me why he'd pulled me over, to my horror, he informed me that my dad's vehicle was showing as having no insurance.
    I explained that I was convinced the van was insured as I'd checked with my father a few weeks previously before another trip.
    The police officer did some more checks and it was confirmed that the van was uninsured. He then allowed me to contact my father to try and get an explanation and to see if my dad could get the vehicle insured immediately. When I rang him, my father was equally shocked and after ringing his insurance company he discovered that his insurance had lapsed at the end of January this year.
    My father managed to get insurance there and then and the Police officer sent us on our way after issuing me with a traffic offence report.
    When I got home, my father explained to me that the reason he wasn't insured was that he had recently changed his current account from a bank to a building and he was under the impression that his Direct Debit for the Insurance would automatically be transferred over.
    My father had been insured with the Camping and Caravan club and his policy had been renewed automatically every year since 2008 but was discontinued when he'd switched accounts.
    As far as my dad was concerned, he'd had no notifications from his insurance company to inform him that his insurance had expired but after speaking to them, they informed him that he'd by notified via email.
    My dad checked through his emails and found that a renewal notification had indeed been sent but as it had gone straight to Junk, he'd missed it.
    I have since received a CONDITIONAL OFFER OF A FIXED PENALTY.
    For my 'sins', I'm looking at a fine of £300 and 6 penalty points.
    As a working single father, I cannot afford this fine nor the points on my licence, nor can I afford the inevitable increased insurance payments for my own vehicle.
    I thing this a harsh penalty for someone who believed everything was in order and wasn't driving a vehicle in the knowledge that it wasn't insured. My father has drafted a letter accepting full responsibility should I contest the allegation in court. My father's insurers have also made a note against his policy that will confirm that his policy had been renewed automatically every year for the last ten years.
    Should I fight this in court and risk further court costs or take it on the chin?

    :fishing1: Personally I would go to court, plead guilty and give the statements from your father and insurance company as mitigating circumstances, I'd also try to get one from the bank as to why ALL the direct debits weren't transferred as they should have been. :fishing1:

  15.   On 3/29/2018 at 1:01 PM, chesters1 said:

    Everything shot just means an opening for another to take the space ,you will run out of cartridges far quicker than the targets

    If shooting worked there would be no grey squirrels

    :clap3: Magpies, like most birds are territorial and once they've claimed "their patch" other magpies keep out and claim their own patch so once they're gone I shouldn't get any more until after the breeding season. The most worrying thing is that from their nest site they can see right into the ivy where the blackbirds nest is. :bye2:

  16.   On 3/16/2018 at 7:39 PM, Norm B said:

    :clap3: Not dodging anything but as she has bird feeders in her garden I don't want to upset her by dropping magpies in her garden when there are "more discrete" ways of culling them. :clap3:

    :clap3: Talk about cheeky, a pair of magpies are nest building in a Scottish pine that over hangs my boundary, I've spoken to the tree's owners and they want them gone, so I'll wait until it's built then they're gone as the other magpies will have claimed their territories and will stay clear. :clap3:

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