I had the same problem with green bean seeds. I strung up some string and hung those disposable pie plates from the string. Just put a hole in the rim of the pie dish and thread a string thru. Then tie to your upper line. Make sure they are off the ground about 6 inches. The pie tins spin and turn with very little breeze and as soon as your plant have the secondary leaves they should be ok. If in doubt - leave the pie tins up. Save them from year to year also or start seeds indoors and put out with secondary leaves. They just want the seed I think. Any questions, feel free to ask. The pie tins always worked for us and I hope they do for you also.

Oh, yea he's hanging out by onions here. The strawberries are off camera to the right, and the tomatoes are in small planters on either side of the planter he's on now. Those are really the only fruit we have that we've had trouble with; we have watermelon and cantaloupe but they birds ever bother them. could be sparrows, we have a lot of those in the neighborhood. this species is the only one that seems to actually stick around in the garden, thought. i probably should have mentioned that I live in south eastern PA.

Greetings, everyone! This topic is alive and well! I am having the same problem ... Reinita birds are visiting my porch. First they pecked all the coco liner out of my orchid pots. I got rid of those even though I liked them. Then they started making nests between my pots. I pulled those out before they could finish. Now they are EATING my succulents. OMG ... They have done so much damage. I've had to move my succulents one by one to an inside location in order for them to recuperate. Two have died from so much pecking. I collect succulents for color and texture, so what they got were reds, blue-greens, yellows ... I'm pissed! Birdbath / feeder & water did not work ... It just increased the bird population to my porch. I tried to play nice with them and they still ate my succulents. Once birds ID your succulents as a source of food/water, they won't stop ...PERIOD. I do not like the idea of covering my succulents with a cage. That defeats the purpose and aesthetics of display. I am considering gaudy things now, like purchasing mini reflective silver pinwheels to place in random pots. Perhaps the finch will be deterred by their own reflections and movement. Mirrors may be an option but will be impossible to keep clean. Those solar activated plastic movement things may work, too. I understand owl and other figures with big eyes, and even stuffed animals scare birds. Maybe I'll try gluing big craft eyes or painting faces on my pots. Final option would be to sprinkle cayenne pepper or a product that contains it over all my pots. The problem is it will potentially harm these beautiful little birds and that is not my intention. Just look at this adorable little guy!

I haven't put out water but there are large water bodies all around -several golf course water bodies, the new york bay and a spillover water body/lake.. Should I be providing water? I have moved the nyjer on to the balcony and away from the edge. I had attached a small tray to the sock and I have rigged a further bigger styrofoam tray under it. It appears to have made the feeder less popular, only one of the house finches was faithfully sticking to it and the spillage was minimal but we shall see.