It's War - Our Cherries vs. The Birds

We have two cherry trees that are loaded with cherries this year. Last year the Bing Cherry tree was loaded and ready to pick. Jim said that we should wait until the weekend and go get Kelsea, a granddaughter. Then we would pick and make a cherry pie. Great idea! On that Saturday we went and picked up Kelsea, got our buckets and Jim went to get the ladder. Kelsea and I went out to the Cherry tree and I looked and I looked. There was not one cherry to be found. Just stems with the cherry pits hanging on the tree! The birds ate every last cherry.

So here we are 2011 and I am watching our cherry trees like a hawk. The cherries are turning color, but not quite ready to pick. Two days ago I saw the birds starting to go in. Small black birds, like the starlings. Big fat robin birds who like to eat a lot. They peck at the cherries, just checking to see if they are ripe and ready to eat yet. No, not yet, but they keep checking. Jim covers tiny bathroom paper cups with alluminum foil and then strings them on a string and puts them into the trees. They are shiny and move a little with the wind. The birds could care less, they are still coming into the trees and checking out the ripeness of the cherries. Ahhhhh! So new plan. Jim puts the scare crows on long pieces of rebar, as you can see one in the picture. It moves and it has fluttering legs and arms. Success, no more starlings, they are scared of the evil scare crows with fluttering legs and arms. But not Mr. Robin, he's such a pig. So we go and buy the twirling pinwheels on a stick which are shiny and move with a bit of wind. Yes, I have not seen Mr. Robin in a day. Perhaps three more days and the Cherries will be ready for harvest! Until then it is war with the birds.