Magpies

Hi all my first question to the forum regards Magpies.
Monday night this week my Orange Lilly opened,it was truly beautiful and could not wait for my partner to come home so I could show her.When she arrived home I hurried her into the garden only to find to my horror the magpies that are nesting two gardens away had ruined my beautiful plant.
Does anyone know of a deterrent to stop this happening again please?

 

Hi @Michael04, magpies are a blinking pain in the botty if you ask me! The dam things drive me crackers, they can be so destructive as you have found out! could you cover the Orange Lily with some net? I don't know for sure but it could be the colour which is attracting them?

 

Hi Beckie thanks for your reply.I did think of covering the lilly but it just takes away the enjoyment of sitting the garden seeing it bloom.But if that's what must be done then so be it I guess.We did think it was the colour that attracted them.Next flowers I shall put a pic up here let me know what you think.

 

You could maybe try distraction techniques ...when you see them lurking throw a slice of bread out

 

We get them around here, but mostly this time of the year they are after smaller birds nests.


Never had any problems with them going after garden plants.

 

The other day I watched as a seagull went for one of the magpies,it flew away.Next moment it was back with help,two of them attacked the gull and gave it a torrid time.Very nasty.

 

Are you certain it was the magpies Michael? There are a number of destructive birds, Pheasants and Sparrows amongst them.

I had magpies nesting right beside a previous garden year after but they didn't touch my plants, but rabbits did!

 

Hi Sheal,thanks for your reply.I am certain it's the magpies.There's no chance of rabbits due to where I live.The magpies seem to have frightened other birds off.

 

Good for the magpies, so they can cooperate and are brighter than seagulls.
I have both magpies and crows nesting in trees close to the house and unlike a lot of houses around me I never have seagulls on my roof. The only problems I have had with magpies, and the crows, is that they some times shred the pitcher plants to get insects and pull up plant labels from pots.
Pigeons are destructive they've just had all my baby fennel. Young peas and brassicas have to be netted to keep them off. Even pigeons though are outclassed by peacocks a few years ago I lost my strawberry crop to a brace of these marauding thugs. They just belly flopped onto the netting and stomped to paste what they didn't eat. That year they also wrecked a couple of gooseberry bushes and a blackcurrant.
I would back sparrows for the lily damage

 

The magpies may well have young either in a nest or around your neighbouring gardens, they will protect them at any cost. Surprisingly magpies mate for life and are devoted to rearing their young.

This doesn't solve your problem though. You could 'plant' some small pieces of tin foil or colourful things in a flower bed further away from your lilies, that might distract them as they are attracted to shiny things.

 

I thought that was jackdaws

 

Magpies as well will go for shiny things.
When I was very young I had a pair of summer sandals with bright buckles and a local jackdaw took a liking to these and came pecking at my shoes when I stepped into the backyard. Quite unsettling at that age, but I do have a soft spot for jackdaws.

 

And jackdaws Pete.

 

Presumably at some point they stop for a rest?

 

You are so droll at times Freddy......but I like it. I think that Michael's lily being topped may prove a point, although they aren't guilty as charged just yet.