I just finished harvesting a peach and nectarine late this afternoon.
Just from this a.m. some of the peaches and nects got pecked. The tree is now fully picked but I left the damaged fruits on the tree. In my defense I did it on the theory that they act as “wolf’s meat” to keep the birds and insects of other trees that are still ripening. As cousin Vinny asked … “Does deh defense’s teeory hold wadda?”
Mike
I put plastic bags on mine after they got pecked. I couldn’t get the bag all the way closed because the fruit grows so tight to the tree branch. That was about a week ago and it’s working so far. I only had three nectarines though. I had crows picking apples tonight. They were walking around the yard with fawns chasing them. They kept just enough in front of the deer to toy with them. I’ve never seen it before. I let the dog out and scared them all away. They were eating crab apples but I started to think they might get ideas and go for my good fruit.
The more that is there, the less the odds of any one item getting pecked, I would think. Sounds like a plan. Not sure that applies with insects, however, as the fruit may harbor them.
Until they start to rot they help, but not like a net would. This is the first season in years that I’m starting to net the trees I really care about. They are positively destroying my plums. Of my peaches they particularly liked TangO’s and have pecked at least half my nectarines that have approached ripeness so far. Next round gets nets.
I am going to take out my .22 rifle and try to get one of the crows and then hang him right outside the orchard.
From what I read, they are smart enough to get the message.
Mike
[quote=“MES111, post:5, topic:2123”]
I am going to take out my .22 rifle and try to get one of the crows and then hang him right outside the orchard.
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It will work for years, we haven’t seen crows within a mile of home for at least 3 yrs. Crows don’t forget-a good corporate memory. Upside down works best. Takes a heck of a shot, they seem to know guns, I got very lucky at about 80 yds.
Yeah, I wish my current bird problem was crows, but my shotgun terminated that issue a few years ago. They seem to carry collective memories somehow. I only had to take out one.
They get really mad when you kill one. Even taking shots at them. They are very smart. Most know what guns are and will fly away if you walk outside with one in your possession. I have to be sneaky when shooting them. I would like to try that too now that I’ve seen them picking and pecking crab apples. It’s only going to be a matter of getting a good fruit set for me on my young trees before the animals really figure out what I have growing.
They are briIIiant.
a murder of crows is what we often want, weII, murdered. Not an iIIegaI thing to do apparentIy, but strangely, from what have gathered, it is illegal to raise them in captivity. Something i wish i couId do, considering their Iong Iist of incredibIe abiIities. This video earns them the nod hands-down.
and they don’t even have hands…
Smarter than some of the people I have to work with !!!
Mike
quite amazing aren’t they? Yet a crow weighs just a lb or so.
the only creatures on this earth capabIe of executing such absoIute and decisive undertakings, for their size.