Maybe cover up the rows with a light mulch? If they can't see the sprouts from the trees they'll be less likely to go after them, IME.

They sure can do a lot of damage. Sounds like you need a scarecrow, maybe one holding a shotgun, aye?

Chicken wire tunnels aka pea guards work well. The problem I get is wood pigeons eating pea seedlings. Mice eat the favas but only the beans, not the shoots.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pea guard

"Sounds like you need a scarecrow, maybe one holding a shotgun, aye?" LOL

The real scare crows, dead hanging on the poles, seems to be working. But they smell pretty bad! LOL

I haven't saw a crow or any other bird in the garden after I hung them up!

i put shiny cd discs all around the plants, some swinging from twine and others lying on the ground shiny side up, around the plants. works everytime.

I second using cd disks, works like a charm for me too, that is when I remember to do it :).

Annette

Sadly, I haven't found CDs very effective against my pigeon predators. Only a physical barrier stops them. Even netting must be high and taut or they just sit on it, weighing it down until the plants poke through the holes!

I've had success with camouflage. Birds just sit right next to the spinning, shining disks and peck away.
I just sprinkle anything green- grass, leaves, etc. down the row after planting, making the new sprouts less obvious. Repeat until sprouts are bigger and less tempting.

oldpea - I think you have something there. I tried using bolted kale plants laid over a row of pea seedlings last year. It was quite effective. And now I have a row of baby kale plants growing which I didn't need to sow.

The survivors are about 8" tall now. The crows got about 1/3 of them or I had some that didn't sprout. Enough to eat.