Repairing bird damage to putty on leaded windows

[NewspaperTaxis]

Hi, I had some success with advice from Mumsnetters on another thread with my front windows, re painting an old window ledge:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4507158-Basic-Painting-a-Rotten-Window-Ledge
Of course, repairing one area highlights another problem. For years, birds were pecking at the putty holding these windows together, I don't get the appeal. For nests, perhaps? To repair, do I just buy any old putty and smear it into the affected areas with a blade or knife type thing? Let it dry, then paint white using a very small brush, some tape and 'for metal' paint? Guess it's pretty obvious but not so obvious I couldn't make a hash of it without someone flagging up potential problems...

Hi! You would need to remove the badly damaged sections with a chisel and hammer, cover any bare sections of wood with knotting solution. Once that’s dry you need to re putty with linseed oil putty using a putty knife (bit of skill involved but YouTube may help!) leave it it dry for a week or so and then prime/top coat.

According to this advice from the British Trust for Ornithology, it might be better to use a non-linseed putty, as it's possible that the birds are attracted to the linseed
www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/behaviour/windows

You can use non-putty glazing compounds, the silicone ones will probably resist birds better than a mastic. Or you can use a painted hardwood bead.

If you have not already learned the skill, I suggest finding an old glazier to do it.

The art of puttying has dwindled as plastic windows became more common.

I have never done leaded lights but used to do wooden and metal casements.

Many thanks! Unlike the other task, I can foresee this one going wrong for the amateur, so I will look up a glazier!