Cherry Tree Bird-Bans

[LazyK]

Any one have successful solution(s) to keeping the little winged jerks off my cherry trees? This summer they beaked 80% of my bings and rainiers. I won't tell you all of the fanorky things I tried to scare the cherry pickin' bums away. CD's spinning on string, xmas decos, flashy foil, life-like owls, fake snakes, spinning flashy wind-mills, m-80's,
real cat recordings... Hey, I was desparate!
Ok, Ok.....I'm driving up I-5 from LA to my place in WA...around Sacramento and Redding, CA I see thousands of these red and chrome flashy things hung around acres and acres of grapes or cherries or berry bushes. Hmmmm something like that might work!?
How 'bout it out there in TBN-Land?

Lazy K - Chip

 

[scruffy]

Hey Chip, if and when you find something that works, patent that sucker! I never found anything, and finally decided the cherries were for the birds, and I kept the apples and plums!

 

[Bird]

Chip, sounds as if you've tried even more things than I have. I tried hanging aluminum pie pans in my plum trees, but it didn't help. The mockingbirds are just tough on the plum crop every year. Wish I had some bing and rainier cherries; sure do like them.

Bird

 

[RichZ]

Chip, the only thing I've seen that works really well, is covering the trees with netting that you can order from many gardening supply catalogues.

Rich

 

[scruffy]

RichZ, thought about mentioning that to Chip, but figured he would've already tried it. In the Oregon cherry orchards, that is the main method of control....sure is a pain to put on the trees though!

I should've thought it through and I would've realized those guys from Washington always go there own way! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Chip, how's your Pop doing? I lost mine July 8th, but he had a great 85 year run, and still living on the home place up to his death.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by scruffy on 08/31/01 04:49 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Chip, I never used this personally, but I've seen a very realistic plastic owl placed near some trees here. The head is made to swivel and spin in the slightest breeze. Talking to the owners, they say they keep the birds far away. They are available in gardening centers. Good luck.

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Mike_Dumond on 09/01/01 09:23 AM (server time).</FONT></P>