bird waFtching

[bmpsands]

Being new to country living I've been spending a lot of time watching the birds in the garden. For the past week I've been watching them eat my beetroot tops, young lettuces, purple sprouting broccoli plants etc.

We have no money to spare, so I've tried hanging up CDs and making streamers from string. The birds seem to enjoy these.

Any suggestions before I plant out the rest of the seedlings?

[Mo]

Well I would suggest netting except when I remember the fun I've had a couple of times, cutting holes in the strawberry netting to untangle blackbirds.

[bmpsands]

Our puppy has an affinity with netting, too. I'm not sure why - but he loves it.

[Homemade]

We use canes with string between and cds strung on over the plants at the allotment. It seems to disrupt the flight paths enough to put them off.
A scarecrow a la Julian?

[bmpsands]

Thank you for the response. I've only got about 5 rows of stuff in the plot at the moment, but the planted area looks like an explosion in a DJs car boot.

[urbanchicks]

Ho w about making a cheap cage(s) out of pea netting and bamboo poles,or small holed chicken wire and old bits of wood? Bought from Poundland, could be cheep cheep!

Maggie

[bmpsands]

Thanks all. Not been down this part of the Lane for a couple of days because I've been putting loads of pea netting out. I haven't seen birds trapped in it ye - but it did seem to be the only way to save the young plants. We still have some CDs out too. We haven't grown veg for years; the allotment had to go when I went back to full time working once the kids were at school (so that's 25 years ago or more). It's coming back to me slowly.

I'm sure I'll be asking for more advice soon - but for now I'm going to try to watch the end of the cricket before having a shower and getting off to my night shift.

Sleep tight, those of you lucky enough to be going to bed later.