[lordthanatos]

hiya all

are scarecrows or bird scarers worth the time / effort?

there are hundreds of birds stalking our plot site as its rimmed with trees as a few of my salads have been decimated by the pecking pests

im wondering if they do work or if there is something else i could do?

thanks

[JayG]

I once tried hanging back-to-back CD's (to maximise the light reflections) from my Munty frame to try and scare birds away from nearby crops. Wood pigeons used to completely ignore it and happily perch on the frame; the ultimate indignity came when they started cr@pping on them as well! 


Most birds seem to quickly get used to most types of scarers; netting is the only sure way to protect your crops.

[DD.]

To answer the two questions posed;

1 - No.

2 - Net as JayG says - the only sure fire solution.

[lordthanatos]

holy smokes how many posts DD lol 

yeah thats what i thought but thought would ask. Thanks again

[DD.]

You'll find that Aunt Sally is way ahead of me, but she reset her counter!

[hogwarden]

 :blink:
 I reckon the CD`s are worth a go as cost next to nothing but you need plenty, forget three or four-you need twenty or so-pidgeons hate them and I have a low spinner and one near the top about 4` from the soil, but smaller birds are not so phased in my experience.

[DD.]

I tried CD's the first year on my current plot.

What a waste of time. Pigeons had their lunch when I went for mine.

[Ice]

Spinning cd's, reflective tape, a buzzard shaped kite, lines of string, a plastic owl on a stick, none of them worked.   The ultimate indignity was finding a rook perched on the owl's head.

Net them.

[shokkyy]

It's really odd because my garden is surrounded by large trees so it's full of birds of all shapes and sizes, with a very healthy population of wood pigeons. But the only thing I ever have to protect from them is strawberries, everything else they seem to leave alone.