Monty Don shares which jobs gardeners should do this weekend
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Magpies are incredibly clever birds and a dominant species in the UK. As a result, they can be rather difficult to keep out of your garden. Though they are not harmful, you may find magpies pecking at growing produce or causing a mess in your green space.
Here are three natural deterrents you can use to keep magpies at bay.
The RSPB notes that any scaring devices or deterrents must not be set so that it prevents nesting birds from accessing their active nest.
Deterrents should only be used to keep magpies out of your garden.
Use plastic bottles or old CDs
According to the RSPB, you can use some old items left around the house to scare magpies away from your garden.
They said: “Half-full plastic bottles or CDs hung up in trees to scare the predators away. Magpies don’t like the way light reflects from the surface.”
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Cover fruit and garden produce with nets
If you have a problem with magpies nibbling away at your growing produce, you can render your goods off-limits to magpies by covering them with netting. Make sure to pay special attention to fruit trees and vegetable patches.
Magpies will be able to see the product but won’t be able to get much off it, so this will help keep them away as they’ll eventually have to go elsewhere for their dinner.
Use bird scare tape
Bird scare tape is a visual and audible deterrent used for protecting your property. The spears of light being reflected from the surface and the noise of the moving tape repels the birds.
However, this type of tape impacts a number of common birds including pigeons, seagulls and blackbirds.
Attach bird scare tape, which can be found online, to stakes and string it about 18inches above potential food and water sources.
Twist the tape several times while stringing it and giving it enough slack to hang loosely.
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