BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.
With so many interesting challenges I had intended to take photos of the faithful old apricot at our front door. I wasn't sure if it would be a feature for #fruitsandveggiesmonday or #homesteadphotography or #treetuesday but the birds quickly helped me decide. Before the fruit is fully ripe the birds lighted, en masse, on our heavily laden apricot tree. And instantly they have their very own feathered #marketfriday! So this is the birds eye view for @dswigle and the rest of my readers. I'm sure, like our kittens Hunter and Bandit, many of you will find the humour in this. I am simply make light of a situation that leaves us rather sour!
We don't have many fruit trees on our homestead. But those we have; fig, pomegranate, lemon, naartjie (tangerine), apricot, peach, guava and a still tiny struggling mango tree, produce rather plentifully. Every year we lose a lot of our fruit harvest to the birds, and destructive baboons. But in the last couple years all creatures are hungry. We barely enjoy any of our fruit as it is devoured when the unripe fruit is just starting to blush.
When I used to visit my mother when she lived in Natal, I often joined her, like the birds, before dawn broke. She would do a weekly trip to the massive fruit market. It was a thrilling experience. The warehouse was laden with tower crates and crates of fresh produce. Buying in bulk is far cheaper. Most of the shops and delis buy from the market so you can imagine it is the most fresh available.
This must be what it is like for the birds. Our homestead is filled with birdsong, throughout the day. But it is with mixed feelings we hear them wake with the dawn as we know they are feasting just outside the window. At least the apricot tree still provides shade for my little boy who plays beneath its green canopy. On occasion we will find an apricot that has been overlooked by the birds and it is such a juicy fruit that I can understand the birds enthusiasm.
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
Little boogers! Aren't they just so cute though? So hard to be too mad.
Very cute. But rather inconvenient sacrificing all our fruit to them!
Really enjoyed your post @buckaroo, while on break at work.
I smiled at this, as it seems quite a nice and interesting variety! Maybe only one or so of each type?
I grew up in the Mountain West of America and blessed that we owned an old orchard. The previous owner, an elderly gentlemen who built the place, grew every type of fruit that would thrive in that climate - apples, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, and pears. And many varieties of each fruit. In some cases, he had even successfully grafted more than one variety to the trunk of the tree ...
Very familiar with the birds taking their share, but it just seemed part of the cycle of life. Little can be done to change it. We always enjoyed the various types nesting in the trees (like Robins) or on the ground (like Pheasants) being around. Perhaps our parents took a dimmer view of them, but I have no memory of that.
Thanks for the great post!
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I appreciate your ability to find the good amidst the hardship. 🙂 You inspire me!
Sorry about the birds, I will pray that you get to enjoy some fruit, too!
They certainly got no manners to leave some for you my dad use to put nets over his fruit trees that kept them away those birds didn't like getting tragled up in them nets :)
Feeding God's creation is not all that bad but then again you would like to enjoy that fruit too!!
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Exactly. I don't deny them some of the fruit. But all is a bit of a abuse of the symbiotic relationship
howdy buckaroo! oh my, wonderful photos, all of them but it's too bad about the massive losses that you lose to the birds although I can't blame them for eating those apricots. You just need the rains to return!
It's seems like there is too many birds and not enough fruit. Maybe you need to hang some things in the trees that will scare the birds a way. My neighbor has aluminium plates around her tomatoes that are making noise in the wind. It seems to be working, lol.
I mean I love birds and it's nice to see them and hear them chirping in the trees, so maybe you can buy them some other food instead and hang it on the fence in the feeder, further from the trees if possible. But hey, if you are okay with them eating the fruits, than it's fine with me, lol. Beautiful photography Tracey and your cats are so cute. I am surprise they don't chase the birds a way, lol.
I know exactly what you are talking about. We have the same problem with our blackberries, grapes, and blueberries when they start to get ripe. I feel like they must be sitting and waiting for that exact moment they become ripe to get them. Haha! Great Job!
@buckaroo I'm not quite sure how you got overlooked on Market Friday, but I think it's because I resteemed and up voted it before I commented on it. My bad!
Having fruit trees with such a wonderful thing, especially you have a variety at your disposable. I have had trouble with the birds taking more than their fair share at one of my houses, especially with the newer trees as they're struggling to grow. For some reason the pomegranates are growing profusely, but my peach trees seem to have stagnated. I haven't gotten one peach off of them yet in five years because the birds are much quicker than I am. That, coupled with the fact that they don't mind eating fruit that is not ripened and I do. I don't mind sharing at all, but dear God please leave me a peach!
All kidding aside, living on a homestead is quite different than growing it for fun. I hope that you and the birds come to an understanding sometime soon. LOL and thank you for posting at the market Friday.
Upped and steemed
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