Birds & Bugs

To Rachel in Oregon & Pat in Wisconsin--

I, too, have found if we do not put out birdseed during gardening season that
the birds eat lots more bugs, so i only feed them in the fall and winter now.
We do provide them with water and birdhouses, but let them forage for their
own food.  That, and not using pesticides has made our yard a haven for birds
and kept the problem insects to a minimum.  I have never had problems with
birds eating my plants.  We have sparrows and morning doves here but I don't
grow any sedums.  I do have several clematis species.   Gee, Pat, I sure don't
know why these birds are munching on your flora and not on mine. I do
sympathize with you. Anyone else have this problem?  

My friends who are more into birds than plants have told me that birds need a
balanced diet and that you should put seed out year round for them.  I still
don't do it because I want them to protect my plants.  In years past when I
put out birdseed in the summer I had more insect problems.  So my birds are
working birds and have to earn their keep here. And they do!  --Janis




Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 08:59:31 -0500
From: pat-mitchell@juno.com (Pat Mitchell)
Subject: Re: fwd: Birds

>Now they spend much of the day foraging for food in the garden.
<snip> >I've even seen birds pulling slugs from their hiding places 
>Rachel - Oregon

I have stopped filling my bird feeder this summer, mainly because we're
moving and I keep forgetting, but you make a good point.  We have
goldfinches by the hundreds this year (another product of el nino`??)
that sit on any purple flower in my garden.  They especially love my tall
purple phlox.

Anyway, what does one do about *bird damage*?  The sparrows and mourning
doves have taken a liking to my sedum (autumn joy and another one that
resembles it  whose name escapes me), and they all have large, triangular
*beak bites* in the leaves.  If I walk around the corner of the house and
startle them, a whole flock rises up and scatters.  I have never had
problems with insect pests on these sedum, so I don't think they're
feeding on pests.  They're eating the leaves!!  To a lesser extent, they
are chomping on the foliage of my clematis as well.

Any ideas or deterrents?  I don't use chemical pesticides in my garden
either,  Not for any greater good, but because I'm too cheap to buy them.

TIA
Pat
USDA Zone 5 Milwaukee suburb - Wisconsin
Pat-Mitchell@juno.com

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