Using CD's or Tin Pie Plates to Scare Birds

[bluelacedredhead]

I have a collection of promo CD's from a brewing company...Let's just say the beer was decent...But the CD's were for the most part better used someplace other than in a CD player, lol.

I've heard mention of using them to keep birds away from veggie plants.

Suggestions for hanging them? Maypole style on individual strings hanging from a central pole? Or individually strung from a row length string?

Or should I just use tin pie plates instead?

[Brook]

The CDs will work. But, as with any technique, just for awhile. Then the birds (and deer, btw) get used to them and they become something else to ignore.

I would hang them on individual strings, scattered throughout the garden. That way any breeze will twist and rotate them. That's what does the job: the sudden flashing movement.

[bluelacedredhead]

I guess I've been fortunate as far as deer are concerned. They do very little damage in my garden? Yet I know that they are present. The bent tops of the pagewire and the very large silhouettes in the grass around the perimeter in the morning tell me so. ;)
But then we have several old apple trees around the garden as well as wild apples elsewhere on the farm for them to dine on. Or maybe I just don't plant the right kind of lettuce? :p

Thanks Brook. I strung a long row of CD's over the beans for today. I'll work on your suggestion tonight.

[mrtomatoexpres]

hi blue i use old dvd's and cd's they work if not i bark at the birds :) :p :D :rolleyes:

[red1]

barking at the birds thats funny...I've used mylar balloons and silver party streamers place a few hooks up and hang some up they blow in the wind and reflect light and the birds move on...yeah maybe they will return don't know yet...

[Sandbar]

Anybody ever used one of those blow-up yellow balls with the big eyes on it? Have seen them in various gardening magazines ... wondered if they were effective, or not.

[jennyz]

Wow, I've never heard of that tecniquic sandbar, but here in Az over in Yuma-where all the commercial lettuce fields are-they stake silve mylar streamers all through the fields to keep the birds off the lettuce. It's kind of funny looking to drive by and see-but the wind moves the streamers around and freaks out the birds-so I suppose it works.

[Joan]

I think both will cause a little "chatter" when blowing and they will both throw some glare also. Not sure how to hang them but probably 2 stakes with string stretched across, then tied these on with string? At least neither are heavy

[FOGHORN]

My 2 cents worth,. Almost anything will work for awhile, then the new wears off it and they put it aside, sort of like us.I bought one of those blow up OWLS to keep the birds and wood peckers of the end of my log house.Worked for awhile then they sat on it .What realy worked was replacing the wood with METAL.

[gardenaholic]

I have tried various methods to try to keep the cockatoos off my fruit trees. Sandbar, the yellow balloon works a treat for awhile but you have to keep it moving around so they do not get used to it in one spot. I have it suspended on a long piece of conduit so that it moves in the breeze up high. I only put it up once the fruit have formed. Have tried CD's not sure if they were really successful. Dont have to net any of my brambles and the birds dont seem to be a problem.

[BEEGES]

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[Sandbar]

Gardenaholic, thanks for the input. I've heard that you need to move them around.

Jenny, I've seen pictures of wires stretched out above crops with the mylar streamers attached.

Both of these solutions sound great for birds. Are either effective for deer and coons? I'm guessing not, because both of these pests are nocturnal garden raiders ...

[gardenaholic]

We have a problem with foxes here and I have put up a sensor light over their yard and have not had them come close (no scats). This might help scare your nocturnal raiders.

[SusieF]

Long white streamers tied to branches work best.