[Zippy]

I notice folks are planting their first Peas out and have bamboo canes laced with wide mesh netting for climbing.

I have always made a long tent out of canes and draped a bird net mesh over the whole thing to keep birds from nipping off flowers and pods. Bees can still get through for pollination. I put woody prunings along the row to give something for the Peas to climb on.

Am I too wary of birds and should I be creating a more open Pea netting frame like other folks?

[mumofstig]

I've always used canes and twine between them, to support my peas, but I have no problem with birds.
Peas are self fertile so pollination is no problem whichever netting you use.

[MoreWhisky]

I on the other hand net 100% of the time, the pigeons love em around here.

[Runwell-Steve]

I have to net peas all of the time as well as our local pigeons would be away with them.

[strangerachael]

I tried leaving mine uncovered, but yesterday I went up there and found they had all been badly nibbled  They are now covered, as best I could with wire netting leaning against the plastic netting I put for them to climb up.

[JayG]

The number of pigeons round my way (wood, stock, and collared doves) seems to be increasing every year and the wood pigeons in particular don't get as fat as they are on fresh air!

Wasn't as bad as this even 5 years ago so I now net everything through the seedling stage and the most vulnerable crops, which definitely includes peas, stay netted throughout. 

[Zippy]

Perhaps they can discern between organic (mine) and not organic (my neighbours)!

The nets stay on then, although the frame looks like sonething out of the Great Escape!