How do I get that food?

That's a clever solution! We have a similar problem here, ever since that bloomin' Seagull began tapping on the back door we have stopped putting anything other than fine breadcrumbs out on the bird table. A large Pigeon lands on the roof, slides down and somehow squeezes himself on to the table, grr! Your idea may well be copied soon .....

Do so Shirley, it's not patented yet, haha.

Trouble is, will his presence on top still put off smaller birds? I have same problem with huge Wood Pigeons visiting. Mind you, the large green Woodpecker was sighted again(by Julie this time) in the back garden this morning!

Yes, we have pigeons trying to steal the food. Odd thing is it is a robin that is the bird table bully! The only bird who tries to put up with him is the nuthatch.

Do you find birds leave wheat? Have had to buy wheat-free seed but they are leaving another seed (?) now!

I don't blame them I can't eat it either. I think its because of what its sprayed with now as it never used to upset me and the old fashioned organic spelt is OK.

Paul, The only Woodpecker I have seen in a long while is my plastic one attached to the bird table, and I would love to see a nuthatch in my garden, Eirlys.
I don't put loose seed on the table it just gets blown off, and germinates underneath.

Well done OH...... pigeons are such a pain, so greedy!! we will have to start eating them!

First catch them, Dd.

Here it's magpies that steal everything ,I hang an old teapot in the rose bush for the little birds , that fooled them lol.
They are fat enough to eat Dd ours can barely walk !

Simbad, I have an image of you chasing a waddling fat pigeon around the garden, saucepan in hand.

Hahahaha they wouldn't take much catching , looks like another has flown into the window this morning there's a perfect impression of outstretched wings , went out with the pan but no sign it must have only been stunned ;-)

Never mind....better luck next time!!

Simbad: please can we have a photograph of just that?

My OH will insist on waving a newspaper at the pigeons. Don't know why he bothers: they can't read!

You must think I am anti wildlife, I am not, just gluttony and vandalism. Today one of the pigeons was pecking the leaves (or maybe the flowers) off my Freckles Clematis, whilst the other was cleaning out the garage gutter.
I don't use the newspaper method, just bang on the patio window for scaring them off. It works for 1 minute at most, a quick circuit of the garden, then they back.

Pigeons ate lots of my sweet peas last year so I am not a fan at the moment! I like what you have done :-)

Seven days on, the pigeon got in by one of the side edges (facing in the photo), rather wedged his wings trying to leave backwards. Another bar added on this side now. It doesn't seem to like the woodpecker guarding the other side.