BIRDS

Smart Red

Garden Master
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
11,303
Reaction score
7,395
Points
417
Location
South-est, central-est Wisconsin
Actually, you don't have to 'take' very many birds out that way for them to leave. Spouse did that after a few years of the birds nesting and breeding in the arborvitae out front. NOISY! And they bothered the other birds, hogging the feeders.

He sat out there with a pellet gun for a couple of hours two afternoons before the birds took wing and were outa there. . . . not to return for many years. They are smart birds and there are plenty of other safer homes to move on to.
 

so lucky

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
8,342
Reaction score
4,956
Points
397
Location
SE Missouri, Zone 6
Those speckled birds are young starlings, I believe. GWR, are you saying the birds broke off your pepper plants even though you had them covered with tulle? They are vicious little demons! Prepare the cannons!
 

baymule

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 20, 2011
Messages
18,381
Reaction score
34,831
Points
457
Location
Trinity County Texas
Shoot one and hang from a tall pole in the garden. My Daddy battled crows until he shot one. He hung it in the garden and had no more crows all year.
 

Gardening with Rabbits

Garden Master
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
3,507
Reaction score
5,567
Points
337
Location
Northern Idaho - Zone 5B
I wondered if those second pictures were younger birds and if they even were the babies from the year before. The sit right above my head. They have been coming and nesting in this same spot before I lived here and we have been here 8 years. I could not kill them. I like them better than pepper plants, I guess. The motion sprinkler, I am getting! I am going to look for one around here tomorrow. I have seen some that look like owls, but not sure it would shoot the water hard enough. I am going to Lowes, Home Depot, ACE and see what I can find. I am putting plastic bags on the fence and on the poles I used to hold the plastic down. They did not get the peppers with the fabric, but before I put it on. It will keep them out, but kind of bending the peppers down. They only attacked the garden like this 2 years ago and last year it it was fine. There was a broken robin egg in the middle of the garden and no trees near that area, so something took that egg and dropped or ate in the garden and I also found that about 2 years ago in the same spot and not sure what would do it, but in that area I have seen squirrels, a Flicker woodpecker, mourning doves and ravens, but the bird in the first picture for sure had the pepper top.
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,815
Reaction score
29,087
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
Yes, see the stars on them, GWR?

They are smart ... and trouble. And, they have messy nests!

When I was a kid, some people had Myna birds. They are essentially Starlings from India. They can be taught to mimic speech!

Steve
 

Gardening with Rabbits

Garden Master
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
3,507
Reaction score
5,567
Points
337
Location
Northern Idaho - Zone 5B
Yes, see the stars on them, GWR?

They are smart ... and trouble. And, they have messy nests!

When I was a kid, some people had Myna birds. They are essentially Starlings from India. They can be taught to mimic speech!

Steve

I can't see a star. I did know these birds mimic. I hear car alarms and phones from them. I guess I made her mad by covering the peppers. While I was gone to town part of a tomato plant was ripped off. lol I tied some white bags on the fence and worked in the garden weeding until they all went to sleep. I think they were upset. I am going to try the motion sprayer.
 

buckabucka

Garden Addicted
Joined
Apr 19, 2011
Messages
698
Reaction score
712
Points
253
Location
Fairfield, ME zone 3/4
What a frustration! I didn't realize birds would do this. Last year I lost many peppers and some tomatoes to something crawling under the black plastic, chewing down the whole stem, and then dragging the plant under the plastic.

While the critter might be gone this year, I've decided when it is time to plant that I will reinstall the ridiculous hardware cloth collars. Good luck with your bird battle! I love birds, but this would make me crazy.
 
Top