i spent nights trying to track down the slugs that were eating my lettuce,i didnt want to put pellets down in case the birds eat them,so i lifted them off the ground,and low and behold look what i found were the culprits.i never knew sparrows eat lettuce,they are the only birds that come near.anyone out there had similar cases.
Hi there. I've had similar problems this year, with sparrows and starlings eating the lettuce. I thought there maybe some tiny aphids on them which the birds were after. I've also lost my carrots to wood pigeons who seem to be able to uproot and peck at the young shoots!
Regards,
JG1985
Must be one of their 5 a day LOL
I would never have blamed sparrows, like you I would be looking for slugs
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
hi there.i dont think its aphids,asi have inspected the lettuces,and they are clean,they litterally peck at the edges of the leaves.this year,we have been dominated by visiting sparrows,ikeep records of birds that visit the garden on a daily basis,and last year we hardly saw any sparrows,but this year we have up to 20 sparrows at any time from dawn till dusk,i'm not complaining,as any bird is wellcome in my garden,in fact i have given up my lettuces,and have put them in such a possition that i can photograph them realy close up.thanks for responding.
They have been pulling the leaves of my buddleia and flying off with them. I wonder if they are being used for nesting material. I know they will take mint leaves for the antiseptic properties - perhaps they are not very good at plant ID!
I never knew they would take mint. Now I know who is eating mine.
when you feel down take a look outside...nature will uplift you
Brilliant photos and thread Mags. I've been wondering what to do with a half eaten tray of lettuce from supermarket. The sort you cut and come again from. Decided to leave it out for the sparrows. I have a little gang of them in my tiny garden who delighted me by sipping from a bucketful of water and then flew across its circumference repeatedly just dipping tail or wing feathers in lightly as they skimmed across, then sat and washed themselves standing on the brim. There is also a nest in a buddleia but its empty now. Wonder if they will reuse it ?