My mother keeps telling Art that it's time to pick the papaya from the tree, but Art likes to let the fruit ripen as long as possible.When he finally picked the papaya this time, after much hinting from my mom, they were in for a shocking surprise!
The birds had gotten to it! We can't blame just the bulbuls this time. The mynahs, sparrows, pigeons, doves, finches all had their beaks into it. I was surprised at what a clean circle they made. They got right in and ate everything they could! They'd never done this before.
I looked out the window the following morning and found that the birds were already starting on another papaya. Looks like we're now going to have to pick the fruit green before the birds discover it.
Mom would never say it out loud to her favorite son-in-law (well... only son-in-law) but you just know she was thinking... "I told you so..."
Oi, too bad about that papaya.
ReplyDeleteI've seen people in Israel wrap every bunch on their grapevine with a paper bag. Apparently it saves the grapes from the birds and bats until they are ready to pick.
Would that work on papayas?
I was going to the same thing as Dina, except use a net. I´d rather have them ripe from the tree too. Always interesting at your house. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, birds have to eat, too! Maybe they could have one or two and you could have the rest. We have a cherry tree outside our apartment, and the birds eat all of them, nobody even tries to harvest them, we have so many birds.
ReplyDeletevery sneaky birds,, from one side you see no damage!
ReplyDeletealways some challenge in life...I think netting them is a solution.
ReplyDeleteYou have some very efficient birds...poor Art. I agree that netting might be a good idea.
ReplyDeleteOh, NO! Happy birds, eh? In Kansas, we have to let them ripen on the shelf or in the fridge. I LOVE the smaller ones, but our stores only have the huge ones from South America and they don't taste as good. Pluck those morsels from the tree and watch them ripen inside! Can Art really climb that high to wrap them? DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how the nature world survives! I love learning about the birds. Great post!
ReplyDeleteWe gave up on growing cherries because of the rain and the birds. The squirrels eat everything else. Two years ago they even started eating the tomatoes on the vine as they ripened and the baby zucchini. We can't grow corn or sunflowers because they eat the immature seeds, climbing right up the stalks!
ReplyDeleteDid I mention I am not fond of squirrels, those fuzzy tailed rats!
My neighbor told me his papayas weren't very good. Even the birds left them untouched! lol. The tree died, because its roots were rotten.
ReplyDeleteI have the same strife with Brush-Tailed Possums. They get just about all the paw paw (as they are known here).
ReplyDeleteCovering them MAY work, it would be unwieldy, as they fruit is so large, & so close to the trunk.
However the main difficulty is that they are so far from the ground. And they ripen so fast, & so often. You'd be always up a ladder (assuming the tree would support one)
Wow!!! I'm guessing that Art will be actively looking for way to protect the fruit from the birds!
ReplyDeleteMy mother would hang aluminum pie pans in her peach and apricot trees to keep the birds away. Here in California, the vineyardists put metallic strings on the vines to keep the birds from eating the grapes. You might give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThat is so weird. The birds have given your crop their seal of approval. Mothers are always right you know.
ReplyDeleteListen to MOM!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
><}}(°>
> < } } ( ° >
< ° ) } } > <
Dina and Betty said the same I wanted to say. My daughter has also pawpaws, as theu call them in Australia, around the house. I saw people putting nets around them. In Indonesia we also called them "papaya". I love them.Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteKay, I use bird netting from Lowe's to protect my tomatoes and I know my Dad uses the bird netting to protect his fruit. Try it and you will have love fruit!
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody! And Sherri, we'll get ourselves down to Lowes to have a look.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure the birds won't just sit on the net and peck at the fruit though. It's a dilemma.
oh that's so disappointing, poor Art! In one way, I like the birds to get their food BUT this was Art's papaya...lol.
ReplyDeleteI can sympathize! The first tomato of the year was almost ready to pick, but when I came outside the next day it was laying on the ground half-eaten...I'm guessing either a rabbit or squirrel, as I've seen both of them hanging about.
ReplyDeleteYou know what my mom would have said--- it is a very a auspicious sign/omen.The first fruit went to our ancestors through these birds.
ReplyDeleteTell Art he can smile :):)
LOL, did you set aside some lemon wedges for the birds.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...those rascals...
ReplyDeleteI just had a load of green mangoes that riped up nicely sitting on my kitchen counter. Those birds wanted some of that luscious fruit. So funny!
ReplyDeleteI love it!
ReplyDeleteDo you like green papaya salad? It's very healthy and a good way to get all your fruit before the birds do.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how they've cleaned out that fruit!!
ReplyDeleteBirds are more intelligent than we give them credit for, just look at that hollowed papaya, and the second one with just enough skin removed to start the hollowing process all over again.
ReplyDeleteFantastic.
If I were your mom, I would probably say, "I told you so" but she's nicer than I am.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel