birds and berries

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Hey, I just heard this the other day and wanted to pass it along. One way to keep birds away from your berries is to lay belts on the ground by the bushes or rows. The birds think they are snakes and stay away. You have to move them around every so often so the birds don't get used to them in one spot. Just wanted to share....

Stace

-- Stacey (stacey@lakesideinternet.com), April 02, 2002

Answers

go to a dollar store and buy rubber snakes, I got three for a dollar, don't get them too colorful, the birds are not stupid, they now that real snakes in our country are not colorful. It works for a while, they learn and they learn fast. You must move the Snakes around practically daily, Its better to get a real cat, the cat take care of the job, and they learn that is the cat territory, and soon as the cat eat one of them belive me the word its out. Ralph.

-- Rafael (rroces1@yahoo.com), April 02, 2002.

Hey Stace..what a great idea..will try it out this year and let you know how it worked! Of course I know darned well what will happen..I will get used to the belts and then there will be a REAL snake in my strawberries..and I will be even more startled than ever!!

Have a great day Stace...you live in Iowa right? Did you get snow yesterday? We got a little..then it sleeted..than last night we had a pretty good ole thunderstorm..kinda ran the gambit here yesterday!

-- Sher (riverdobbers@webtv.net), April 02, 2002.


Hi Sher,

Yep I'm in Iowa and yep it snowed. Must have gotten 3 inches. Yuck!! I was all set to get the tiller in the garden and see about planting my peas and potatoes. I guess this pushes things back a week.

I had that fear about the 'real' snakes too! Wonder how many times I'll scream at the site of the belt?!?!? :)

-- Stacey (stacey@lakesideinternet.com), April 02, 2002.


I've used a life size porcelin cat before. Shiney objects help too, I strech a line just above the berries and tie things like old compact mirrors and stips of metal from beer/pop cans. This year I'm going to use all junk cd-rom discs aol and every body else sends me. The flash of light tends to scare the birds away as they flutter with the wind. jack c

-- jack c (injack1@aol.com), April 02, 2002.

I will be using mt trusty owl decoy this year. It must be moved daily, twice daily is better. Dont move it and the birds will poop on it to.

-- Brian N. E. Ohio (brilas@hotmail.com), April 02, 2002.


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