Mystery of the missing Mockingbirds

I've written many posts since we started growing blueberries four years ago complaining about Mockingbirds that view our bushes as as nothing more than giant feeders. But this year, despite a bumper crop of blueray berries, the birds are strangely uninterested. We have seen them on nearby buildings and regularly hear them singing. We even sighted one on our terrace recently. But they have not been feeding on our juicy fruit. Sure, the berries are a little tart, but could that be it. The berries just aren't to their liking this season? Are these birds such connoisseurs that they are rejecting our fruit? Our neighbors Michele and Charles across the street grow blueberries as well. Are the birds stocking up there? I should be overjoyed. After all, when they come, they babble, chirping with verve outside our bedroom window at 5:30 a.m. And when they nosh, they take the berries just before they're perfectly ripe, which leaves us with little worth eating for ourselves. So, I'm thrilled that the birds have found blue-r pastures. I'm just trying to make sense of it all.

A bumper blueberry crop has not attracted Mockingbirds this year

Fresh fruit

Despite the unseasonably cool spring, our perennials are back in business. The strawberries are coming in strong. In several weeks, we'll be able to pick them for breakfast! Our blueberry bushes are in bloom too. Even the Bluecrop variety that was attacked by nasty white grubs (and which we left for dead last summer) has made a miraculous recovery. Of course, every garden delight comes with a downside. In this case, the blueberries attract mocking birds that wake us up, steal our fruit and attack our tomatoes...Oh well, that won't happen until at least mid-June when the berries begin to ripen.

First flowers of the season will soon turn to fruit

This bush, attacked by white grubs last summer, has made a stunning recovery

Bird feeder: unfortunately local mockingbirds love our blueberry crop

The berries are alright!

A healthy, homegrown breakfast featuring our very own blueberries and strawberries. Though the strawberry plant produces pretty sporadically, the blueberry bushes are prolific, especially now that we've protected them from our resident Mockingbirds with netting. Every morning I gather just enough berries to top my yogurt.

Blueberry Mockingbird saga, part 2

Jersey berries taste great

A super warm spring led to early blueberry blossoms and we're now reaping the rewards: juicy, sweet blueberries. But we're not the only ones interested in harvesting the fruit. Our neighboring Mockingbirds have been eager to join the party. We were ready for them this year, unlike last year, with bird netting that we swathed around our bushes. It is definitely helping, though the birds are not that easily defeated. Just the other day, I saw a female clinging to the net and poking around with her little beak. She didn't get any berries as I was there to scare her away. However, on July 4th, I found out just how resourceful those birds can be. Our neighbors Amy and Sean stopped over for snacks, and even in the 90 degree heat we took them out to view our garden. As we opened the door to the terrace we heard all kinds of flapping and fluttering. A glance at the Jersey bush revealed a handsome male Mockingbird--inside the netting and desperately trying to get out! As we tried to help, the bird got more distraught. Thankfully, he eventually slipped out the bottom and flew off. I can't say for sure, but I bet he'll think twice before doing that again! And I'll be sure to better seal up the net after picking berries.

This mocking bird wants my berries!



Fresh picked



Spring strawberries

We've had lovely strawberries (not an overwhelming amount, but sweet and tasty ones) through June. We bought a terracotta strawberry pot last season and added some plants from Home Depot to the ones we had been growing for a few years in a plastic container. This has has helped the yield...a bit. Though I have to admit that we've had better luck buying farm fresh at the Union Square Green Market. Even better, our friends Harriet and Dave dropped off a gift of fresh berries from Dressel Farms in New Paltz last weekend. Included was a jar of Big House jam! Now, our strawberries are petering out as we head into blueberry season. Too bad they don't come at the same time...

Mockingbirds in Manhattan and Who ate my blueberries?

So, who knew mockingbirds live in Manhattan? In fact, a very resourceful little one has taken a shine to our blueberries. We planted two mature bushes this spring and the berries have been ripening at a rapid pace over the past two or three weeks. I didn't know, however, that they would attract the wily grey flier. I've seen him flitting about lately, not knowing what species he was or what he had his eyes on. Then this weekend, he landed right on our bush. As I jumped to the window, he hopped to our railing with a plump blueberry in his beak. He stared me down (as if mocking me!) and swallowed the big berry whole! Before I shooed him, I grabbed my camera and took this shot. That enabled me to identify him in my bird book. Since then he's dropped in several times a day, and we've rushed out to scare him off. Luckily he announces himself with his complex bird song, so we have advance warning. To thwart him, I'm trying to pick off all the ripe berries before he can grab them. Though when we're at work, he's going to have his fill. We might try to get a plastic owl to scare him off - but he seems too smart for that.  I don't really mind sharing with the little critter, after all, he is a handsome fellow. I just hope he doesn't tell his friends!! And I hope he doesn't like tomatoes!
Now I'm getting just a little a taste of what it's like to garden in the suburbs, where all manner of creature comes to feast...

Urban Gardening Salute to the Sun



Ready to pick


I went to Vermont for a 3 day Wanderlust yoga festival over the weekend, and my garden did a salute to the sun! Over the weelend, the two cukes on the vines doubled in size; the blueberries went from small and green to plump and bright blue; the cherry tomatoes sprouted fruit; and the hydrangea exploded with colorful flowers. Wow!










Hydrangea in bloom

Cucumber salad





Frying peppers



Blueberry burst



Misadventures in the blueberry patch

There's been a death in the garden. Our green thumbs have been done in by the blueberry bushes. We don't know if its because we used too much fertilizer or too little. Or if it's because the weather was too hot and then too cool. The adventure started out well. As soon as we got the twiggy starter plants into their pots in early April, they began to thrive, adding shoots, growing green leaves and looking healthy.
The first sign of trouble came suddenly. On the first 90 degree day of the season, a few weeks ago, our Chippewa bush burned to a crisp without so much as a warning. That morning it was green. That evening, it had turned brown and crinkly.
We called Miller Nurseries where we had purchased the plants by mail order and they were quick to send another bush. We planted it a over week ago, but so far, it has yet to sprout even a leaf.
Meanwhile, the Polaris seemed to be doing well. Until last weekend, when it too began wilting in the heat. I'm afraid it has since gone the way of its Chippewa sibling. In an effort to save it, Mitch replaced the soil, which ws heavy with a fertilizer specific to blueberry plants (they like it acidic.) But it appears the move was to no avail. He also ordered a PH tester from Miller, which has yet to arrive. It may give us an indication of where we went wrong. Either way, this is a pretty disappointing development. We may have to wait until the fall to try again. If any experienced blueberry growers have suggestions, please post a comment!