Did the birds think my step-ladder was a person?

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Sun, Jul 14, 13 at 7:01

We have just harvested and pitted some 20 quarts of cherries from our Balaton cherry. All without using netting! In 2011 we had a bumper crop, netted the tree, went away on vacation for a few days only to find that birds had found a way into the netting. This year, we picked some before we left for vacation and left the step-ladder in place. We were able to pick another 4 quarts when we got back. There was, however, a poor quality North Star cherry nearby that the birds could easily access. The Balaton is quite leafy beyond the ripe cherries, so perhaps that kept the birds somewhat away.

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RE: Did the birds think my step-ladder was a person?

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Posted by iowajer 5a (My Page) on
Sun, Jul 14, 13 at 10:36

I bet so. The birds stay away from my trees a bit when I drag out the ladders, but after a while they get used to them and I'll see them sitting on the top of my 8' ladder right next to my rock-filled plastic owl.

I live in the country so I can put a radio in the tree and have it blasting, but even then they'll swoop in for a short while sometimes.

I don't see as many birds this year though, and I even wondered if last years drought had them looking for a moisture anywhere they could find it - like my cherries!

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