[NAFEX] Birds in Amelanchier & Cherry

John S swim_at_svc at yahoo.com
Mon Jul 21 18:32:48 EDT 2008


Jim,  I read some research a while back that birds see into the ultraviolet much more then we do and much of the feeding behavior could depend on the color of the fruit.  The color change of ripening fruit could be what triggers the feeding.  Hence, your success with decoys may have something to do with the color of the paint used and/or brand, as well as specific beads.



--- On Mon, 7/21/08, Jim Fruth <jfruth at tds.net> wrote:
From: Jim Fruth <jfruth at tds.net>
Subject: [NAFEX] Birds in Amelanchier & Cherry
To: "NAFEX" <nafex at lists.ibiblio.org>
Cc: "Jackie Kuehn" <jakuehn at verizon.net>
Date: Monday, July 21, 2008, 8:53 AM

Rivka wrote, "I keep intending to try this (berry bead decoys to fool the 
birds); but don't have any idea where to get the beads. Where do you buy 
them? (and, are other types of fake fruit available to do this with? 
apricots? grapes? strawberries?? Have you tried it with anything besides 
juneberries and cherries?)"

    I get the beads from a store that sells hobby and craft supplies.  Red, 
spherical, beads come in several sizes.  Some are faceted and work as well 
as the plain ones.  I buy beads that are the most similar to the size of the 
fruit that I'm trying to imitate.  I use these in my cherry and
amelanchier. 
I leave these beads in place the year around.
    Then there are (red) berry beads..................they look so alike red 
raspberries that people are fooled and attempt to pick them.  They come in 
three sizes and I use all three to duplicate actual, possible, berry sizes. 
Darcey (I believe that is the name of the importing company) now sells black 
berry beads but they don't fool the birds so I spray painted them black and

now they are effective in the black raspberry patch where I also hang red 
berry beads.  I put these beads out as soon after the raspberries start 
flowering and remove them as I pick the (ripe) fruit.
    These decoys aren't always 100% effective but they help.  My biggest 
problem is robins and the beads are quite effective on them.  Cat Birds, I 
don't know about, because they are easy to scare off and they don't
come 
back whereas robins can be scared off but they forget the scare and wander 
back.  Black berry beads don't work on chickadees but my Morus alba 
(Black-fruited Mulberry) keeps them out of the berry patch.  And, if I pick 
more than one or two mulberry fruits, the chickadees land in the tree and 
scold me - That's THEIR tree!!!
    Grapes?  I haven't had success with grapes.  I tried individual black 
beads but the birds weren't fooled; they seem to know the difference
between 
a lone bead and a 'bunch' of grapes.  I'd like to try plastic
bunches of 
grapes but I don't have a source.
    Strawberry decoys are easy!  I paint (pebble size and larger) stones red 
and scatter them in the berry patch as soon as flowering ceases.  I have 
zero problems with birds eating strawberries.
    Peaches and apricots haven't attracted birds (yet) but, when that 
happens, I suppose I'll figure something out; why don't you invent
something 
and tell me about it.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(877)265-6856 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]



_______________________________________________
nafex mailing list 
nafex at lists.ibiblio.org

Reproduction of list messages or archives is not allowed.
This includes distribution on other email lists or reproduction on web sites.
Permission to reproduce is NEVER granted, so don't claim you have
permission!

**YOU MUST BE SUBSCRIBED TO POST!**
Posts from email addresses that are not subscribed are discarded.
No exceptions.  
----
To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the bottom of this page (also can be used to
change other email options):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex

File attachments are NOT stripped by this list.
TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM COMPUTER VIRUSES!
Please do not send binary files.
Use plain text ONLY in emails!

NAFEX web site:   http://www.nafex.org/


      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/private/nafex/attachments/20080721/08bee39b/attachment.html 


More information about the nafex mailing list