smerchly Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 It's bad enough to lose hundreds of apples and prime bud branches to squirrels , but now the birds, like robins , are eating the small apples . I collect at least two dozen from the grass every morning and another dozen during the day . These apples are small and still very hard . I have some aluminum pie plates hanging in the tree and a composite owl near the tree , but nothing deters these birds . I never had this problem years ago , so I have to wonder , why they now go for the hard apples ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffman Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Robins will and do eat apples. I wonder if the ground is too hard to get at the worms or are they seeking the moisture from the apples as there hasn't been much rain lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted July 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Robins will and do eat apples. I wonder if the ground is too hard to get at the worms or are seeking the moisture from the apples as there hasn't been much rain lately. I think there has been lots of rain this season ....my 3 rain barrels are never empty and the grass is very green without needing watering by hose , but I think the large trees surrounding my yard drain the water under the grass . I can't get a shovel in the hard garden soil that I'm turning into more grass .....and the due worms are very scarce now . We have had rains but they are short heavy rainfalls which run off quickly and out to the roads. We need a long steady rain to penetrate the soil . I'll bet the birds are raiding the cherry crop this year ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffman Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 I saw a piece on the news about picking blue berries and the farmer had some sort of cheese cloth covering over the bushes to keep the birds from harvesting his crop. I bet the birds are feeding on the cherries as you mentioned. Some farmers have fake cannons which they use to try to keep the birds out of their orchards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 Birds are hungry this year. Season cycle is behind by weeks. Their forage base has been in short supply. I've got birds eating green berries at the farm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynemartin Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Its all about survival all animals will eat what ever it takes to live if there main diet (worms) are in short supply they have to do what they have to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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