Help....Robins Eating My Current Tomatoes and Grapes

[Charlie]

I've caught two robins today eating our grapes and current tomatoes.

Seriously. I thought I was seeing things, never have seen or heard of this before, but here is one study/reference to robins pilfering grapes....

should I do? Should I put poison on the vines? Or shoot them? Set up a propane cannon to frighten them and the neighbors and attract the cops? Should I begin an all out pre-emptive process of eradication of robins, and cedar waxwings for that matter, in order to keep my grapes?

They are *mine*, I say, all *mine*....my grapes and 'maters and no stinking filthy no-good vermin tomato/grape-thieving robin deserves a one of them, not a danged one!

Or should I just enjoy watching the action and know that other creatures are benefitting from our crop. Ya' learn sumpthin' everyday, it seems. Some interesting fun things and some ugly sad things.

Charlie

"All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind."

Adam Smith

[Bill]

They look at me with a wary eye. Why does he look at us? Must be hungry. Why bother my feeding else. Always hungry this hairy ape. Best to take his food and water But avoid it and it's machines. Robin musing.

Bill

[Tom J]

You could always buy a roll of bird netting, but you could go to the market and buy tomatoes and grapes cheaper. :-(

Tom J

[Charlie]

Yours? Nicely done, whoever done it.

Charlie

If I can stop one Heart from breaking I shall not live in vain If I can ease one life the Aching Or cool one Pain Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again I shall not live in Vain ~~Emily Dickinson

[Bill]

Yup.

Bill

[Wil]

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Adam Smith

Life's been better for me as well since I started my garden.

Wil

[ctlady]

See if your local garden supply store has reflective bird tape. I had a problem with crows eating my corn and I hung this tape criss-cross over the corn patch and now I've got it on my blueberries. We put 6 foot stakes in the ground surrounding the blueberry bushes and I put plastic netting over the top and two sides attached to the stakes. Until I could find the time to continue with the other two sides, I tied one end of 2 to 3 foot lengths of bird tape all around and the constant flapping and waving of the tape keeps the birds away.

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Adam Smith

[R M. Watkin]

Use old video tape is does the same job. Hope this helps you.

Richard M. Watkin.