On 29/5/04 10:41 am, in article ,
"John Edgar" wrote:

snip
Seriously though we bought some black netting and have spread it over
the mulching borders, about 18" wide. This has all but put a stop to
it. We get just a bit from a particularly energetic bird who manages
to reach the drive from well into the border. It's not a problem now.

The netting is about 1/2" square, and you have to look hard to see it.
I anchored it with hooks made from some redundant old wire that was
lying about.

And you will quite possibly have trapped, injured and dead birds in the
netting. All because some mulch gets thrown around? The blackbirds are
searching for and eating pests that will attack the very plants you are
trying to protect. Does a perfectly tidy, manicured, practically hoovered
garden make up for more pests and dead birds? ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)