How to use wooden beads in steel windows? (AKA F'ing Magpies!)

Would thin metal strips, pressed into the surface of the fresh putty, stop them?

An interesting idea, but I suspect the b*stards would simply peck around the strip while admiring their reflections in the metal!

:-)

Various suggestion on the web, such as using synthetic putty, as it is thought that they are after the linseed oil, or coating the putty with either chilli powder or aluminium ammonium sulphate, which, apparently, they find distasteful.

We had a similar problem years ago when re roofing a wooden greenhouse. The only answer I could find was black thread with foil milk bottle tops strung along it

A similar problem. I once worked for a structural steel company. We got a call back from a custome complaing the asbestos roof (years ago) was leaking. It transpired birds had got into the building and the owner had allowed his young son have a go with an air rifle

quadrant beading and a compressed air nailing gun?

Not done this, but bear in mind there are few genuinely waterproof glues. PU is definitely not. Epoxy, silicone & whatsitcalled are. Some claim to be but aren't really, like PU. It can cope fine with short term wet, but keep it wet & it fails totally.

I am not sure there was powder coating in the 1930s was there?