I get those thick plastic sticks and write on them with a sharpee ( write-it-out-loud) then shove it all the way down except for one inch, if it is below the dirt it will not fade and it's difficult to pull up. (for a bird anyway) They are just looking for stuff to build their nest with. Find something to give them and maybe they will leave your good stuff alone.
Also (as you know
) I take a lot of pictures and tag them.
