Can anyone suggest a solution please? For some reason this last week or so the blackbirds have been digging up large patches on my front lawn (so far they've left the back alone). I'm getting big bare patches right to the soil and tufts of dead dug up grass. A friend suggested grass grub, said to dig under and look for little white grubs, but I can't see anything. I don't really want to hurt the birds, and I don't want dead or poisoned birds dropping on the back lawn where my greedy old dog could get them. Does anyone know what could be causing this please?
nzshooter01,
Apr 20, 8:58pm
Well the obvious reason would be that they have found a food source in your lawn, id vote plus 1 for grass grub
hound31,
Apr 20, 9:04pm
Yes thanks, as I said I looked but couldn't see any, unless they're microscopic or I need new glasses lol.
oh_hunnihunni,
Apr 20, 9:06pm
They'll be there. The ones the birds missed!
Unless you have worms.
hound31,
Apr 20, 9:23pm
Ewww, I hope you mean the lawn not me lol. There are actually heaps of worms in the lawn and garden. I might take a photo on the phone and a soil sample and pop down to the garden centre tomorrow.
oh_hunnihunni,
Apr 20, 9:37pm
Lol.
Are they just digging, or dancing and digging? Because apparently they can hear worms moving through the soil, and dance to get them to come up.
Mind you, that might be a myth.
;-)
hound31,
Apr 21, 8:58am
I haven't spotted any break dancing yet, but I'll keep any eye out.
captaingraham,
Apr 21, 9:00am
In the UK they have worm charming competitions. The World Worm Charming Championship is an unusual event, during which people of all ages try to extract as many worms out from soil as possible. The event is usually on one of the Saturdays in June at Willaston County Primary School in Willaston, Cheshire.
The event dates back to 1980. Each participant gets three-metre square plots of land. The record of warm charming was set in 2009 with the quantity of 567 warms.
Charming, grunting, and fiddling are the most popular methods to attract earthworms from the ground. Participants use different techniques, like vibrating the ground by sticking implements into it, playing music, or patting the soil. But importing worms from outside and digging is against the rules.
Prizes are awarded for the single heaviest specimen and the largest quantity of warms. After the competition, all the worms are released into the wild.
oh_hunnihunni,
Apr 21, 9:54am
The dancing, tapping, patting thing is to imitate raindrops apparently. The vibration of those hitting the soil is picked up by worms who know they are at risk of drowning if a good drenching happens, so they rise to the surface to escape the water. The myth goes that the birds know this and flock to harvest the escapees, and so they dance.
And I wouldn't be surprised, birds are not stupid creatures, as any gardener knows. We dig over a piece of ground, or lift a flagstone and the cheeky devils arrive, one beady eye on us, one on the newly revealed bounty.
hound31,
Apr 21, 9:59am
The natural world is fascinating isn't it? Yes, i agree, birds are not "bird brained", neither is any other creature.
toyboy3,
Apr 21, 10:24am
Don’t give the lawn such a hard haircut with the mower , let the grass grow a bit so the grass is a bit longer
harrislucinda,
Apr 21, 3:35pm
got the same problem have a pet magpie she eats them
hound31,
Apr 21, 4:11pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdV0stHV0SQ I'll play this for them:) just had a friend around for coffee. They had a look as they had the same problem with grass grubs, they can't see any either but said the damage looks exactly the same. I'll take a photo on my phone and a soil sample and trot off to the garden shop tomorrow.
pauldw,
Apr 21, 4:46pm
The grass grub eats the roots of the grass. That's why you get dead patches. If you've got grass dying, dig it up. The grubs will be obvious if they are there. If you can't see them there'll be no point in a soil sample.
Yes thanks hunni, I'd read that myself tonight. I now know it's not those fat white things in the picture as my friend looked too. Must be one of the other culprits mentioned. Trip to the garden centre.
rpvr,
Apr 23, 8:55pm
They can be a pain if you have a bark garden next to a concrete path or drive, too. They fling the bark pieces on to the concrete as they turn them over looking for food. I can see what they are after there, mainly slugs and slaters.
hound31,
Apr 24, 9:41am
I know, previous owner had bark on a garden next to lawn. I have to pick up large chunks of bark before I mow, I'm gradually getting rid of it. Previous rural property I used to put pea straw on the garden, you should see what the little beggars can do with that lol.
oh_hunnihunni,
Apr 24, 9:46am
Isn't it interesting the way we humans get annoyed with other species when they are doing exactly what we do - rearrange the landscape to get food and make homes.
Cheeky little devils.
tegretol,
Apr 24, 10:16am
You're feeding that 'greedy old dog' far to well. Let him do the job.
hound31,
Apr 24, 2:01pm
Haha, exactly right when you think about it.
hound31,
May 3, 4:56pm
Well, I owe you guys an apology. I had another dig and found one very dead grass grub. Now the damn things have started on the back lawn, and guess what? Bunnings are right out of stock of the stuff to fix the little beggars, It was supposed to be in the end of last week, but still no sign. I'll be living in a muddy swamp soon!
oh_hunnihunni,
Jul 27, 11:07pm
It will soon be over. The cold will drive them deeper, the birds will be fatter, and you can resow come Spring.
Always nice to be right though!
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