Hahahaa, you have finches, I have Mynas and Bulbuls doing the same here....

for the seeds, i take a elasticband and newspaper and cover it tight, they dont need sunlight till a week, and works for me

for the seedlings, i leave bird feed near where the seedlings are, and the birds now skip that, I also grew some parsley just for them so that they stay away

if you can grow some garlic, or chives near them, that does keep the birds away from that area....

:)

Sounds like you need a cat!

I had a big toad jumping through the trays with seedlings a few days ago: shock horror!

About 5 fell over and had to be repotted. Luckily nothing damaged as far as I could see.

Maybe if the toads are big enough they'll snatch a finch!

Maria Elena, can't you put some netting over the seedlings?

Maybe get a small birdcage to put your plants in...

Maria Elena. Don't fight them, just join them. You have to make a home for them.

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/diy/how-to-make-your-own-bird-box/

Maybe it will help?

Stuart, I'm not really fighting them so much as cursing them. Thanks for the link ... I was actually thinking of hanging a few bird cages, so that works.

Connie, if I'd caught it in time a mesh netting would've certainly helped. It's too late now and I've lost about 20. The remaining seedlings are taller and firmly rooted.

All this took place over one weekend. I never dreamed birds would grab up adenium seeds & seedlings. I guess seedlings don't contain the deterrent bitter lactea of older trees. They certainly are juicy enough. Live & learn. Now I know it's finches in late summer and grey kingbirds late spring. That gangsterous brood will attack you for coming on the same block as their nests!

I'm really bummed out about the Zaftig Moon seedling and such a large seed loss. If I were a cat... Ha!

Go to your local fabric store and buy a few yards of tulle. It is a very loose fine netting you can drape over your seedlings that won't really shade them. Use something to prop it up like dowels to act as a tent and it'll also keep most bugs off in addition to birds. It's a cheap, easy fix. I need to do the same thing. The birds have suddenly taken an interest in mine as well when they hadn't been paying them any attention before. Use something around the edges to secure it or weigh it down.

Alternatively prop boards or bricks around the sides to build a box and lay window screens over your seedlings. That will however also act as a minimal shade cloth so your choice whether you want that or not.

Maria Elena sorry to hear about your lost seedlings. I've got mine indoors under a bulb to try to avoid some of the outside factors but they are moving so slow I am resisting the urge to move them outside when they are just going to be brought back inside in a month. Hope your remaining seedlings prove to be the strongest of the bunch.

Tracy

Thanks, everyone. The birds took everything they could and have stopped bothering my seedlings. The remaining ones are firmly rooted, so they can't take off with them.