Crows and other large garden birds.

[Mad Doug Biker]

Hello, how do you stop/deter birds like Crows and Magpies, etc from damaging and destroying clothespegs and other garden items?

Thanks

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You give them a stern telling off

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

You give them a stern telling off

I need to catch them in the act firstly and get outside before they fly off 😆

 

[byegad]

Well, a decent shotgun will stop them doing it again, but the Authorities and neighbours may not be over impressed!

 

[a.twiddler]

Use a peg bag. Keep items under cover? Crows and magpies are pretty intelligent. They might like a challenge.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Use a peg bag. Keep items under cover? Crows and magpies are pretty intelligent. They might like a challenge.

Problem is that they have damaged some whilst being used, so I can't even protect them in a bag.

I will need to be more careful, I concur - I am lazy and just leave the pegs to live on the washing line, so I guess I have brought it on myself.

 

[FishFright]

Problem is that they have damaged some whilst being used, so I can't even protect them in a bag.

I will need to be more careful, I concur - I am lazy and just leave the pegs to live on the washing line, so I guess I have brought it on myself.

Are the pegs brightly coloured or have shiny hinge springs ? Corvids etc love to play with stuff like that.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Are the pegs brightly coloured or have shiny hinge springs ? Corvids etc love to play with stuff like that.

They are not particularly colourful, but the springs are shiny, yes. What I have found occasionally as well though is that the plastic bits have been removed and it is only the spring holding the clothes on the line.

Most pegs though, have disintegrated as I've tried to use them. I accept that the elements might have weakened them, but to have as many failures as I did yesterday points to something else!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

This was my original post elsewhere in the 'things you have only just realised' thread (I know there is a proper name but I am pish at remembering) in the Cafe section:

For quite a long time now, I have never bothered with taking my clothes pegs out/inside when seeing to washing on the line. They just live outside on the line. I am not sure what this does for the cleanliness, of them, but I haven't had any issues yet regarding that.

ANNNYway, occasionally, I have had a peg that has simply broken or disintegrated when I go to use it but yesterday, YESTERDAY, was an absolute joke!
I must have lost about 15 of them on putting washing out, seriously, they were only short of exploding in my hand (ooh err). It was very, very annoying and there was much swearing, something which there would only have been more so of if a piece had pinged into my eye.

I had thought that maybe the weather had gradually weakened the them, but then, when I came out to take the washing back in, I noticed that some of the previously usable survivors had been damaged in the interim.

What was going on?

Well, it suddenly occurred to me, my neighbour feeds the birds and I have recently started too as well. There are some large crows with horrible big beaks which just seem appear with the other birds. Not much I can do about that.

The Crows are clearly being attracted to the clothes and then destroying my pegs, the buggers!


What do do? 🤷

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Maybe the crows are employed by one legged pirates?

 

[a.twiddler]

I've noticed that some plastic clothes pegs seem to deteriorate unexpectedly quickly due to sunlight and become brittle. Maybe an argument for traditional wooden ones (no moving parts) or at least sprung wooden ones? Also, less attractive to corvids?

 

[a.twiddler]

Maybe the crows are employed by one legged pirates?

Not one legged parrots?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Maybe the crows are employed by one legged pirates?

Well, now you come to mention it... 🤔😆

I've noticed that some plastic clothes pegs seem to deteriorate unexpectedly quickly due to sunlight and become brittle. Maybe an argument for traditional wooden ones (no moving parts) or at least sprung wooden ones? Also, less attractive to corvids?

Could be actually, that would explain the ones dramatically disintegrating in my hand.

I think I did have wooden ones ages ago, but those also deteriorated over time.

I'll just have to buy new ones and keep them away from those pesky birdses and UV light!

One thing, if I catch them doing it, do I test positive for Corvid?

 

[GuyBoden]

Well, now you come to mention it... 🤔😆



Could be actually, that would explain the ones dramatically disintegrating in my hand.

I think I did have wooden ones ages ago, but those also deteriorated over time.

I'll just have to buy new ones and keep them away from those pesky birdses and UV light!

One thing, if I catch them doing it, do I test positive for Corvid?

Don't worry, there are only eight Corvids in the UK.

Carrion crow.
Chough.
Hooded crow.
Jackdaw.
Jay.
Magpie.
Raven.
Rook.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I've noticed that some plastic clothes pegs seem to deteriorate unexpectedly quickly due to sunlight and become brittle. Maybe an argument for traditional wooden ones (no moving parts) or at least sprung wooden ones? Also, less attractive to corvids?

You beat me to it, I was just going to post similar.
The hot, sunny days we had in June probably did it.