Scaring the pigeons

[greasyfire]

Hi guys
Firstly this was my first crop of Redcurrants and Blackrcurrants and they where ripe ready for picking. As i opend the door i saw a flutter of wings and feathers. As i came closer i had seen the birds had munched! every last berry. I am growing beans and other crops in my garden and i want these birds away. I have tried old cd's and bird repellent but to no avail.

So i am calling on you grapes to give me your best tactic on scaring these birds EEK!

[binley100]

Big whirly windmill thingys shaped like bees, and ladybirds. Streamers ( made from strips of carrier bags) tied to things but my favourite is sammy the snake. A rubber snake inherited with our plot. Try rubber spiders as well I read that birds don't like them. But you have to move stuff around else they just get brave and stick their wing up at you.

[rustylady]

Netting is the only foolproof way to keep your fruit from the birds. Our allotments have a variety of "bird scarers" including old CDs, streamers made from old videotapes, carrier bags, cans, etc.

[Two_Sheds]

My currants are netted just before they ripen.

Birds don't eat beans

[Buleste]

I did try flying around in old biplanes with my friends and dog but we never could catch that pigeon.

[Edilith]

I've taken the netting route after having my broccoli leaves ripped to shreds! Also netted my blackcurrants/strawbs as in my opinion it's the only foolproof way to stop them (so long as it's pulled taut so that it doesn't rest on your crops at all - voice of experience there ).

Saying that though, a bullfinch had to be 'rescued' the other night after it snuck in and got itself trapped. Serves me right I suppose for not securing the edges tidily enough Learn from my mistake!

[SarzWix]

It isn't pigeons stripping my fruit, it's Mrs Blackbird.... She came down bold as brass when I was sitting having a brew at the allotment this morning and started pecking away at the almost ripe strawberries, about 4 ft away from the dog's nose! Cheeky! She got barked at, and flew off complaining.

I haven't got any netting left, so I've put the wire shelves off my greenhouse shelving round the plants as a temporary measure.