As I drove into the yard yesterday, I stopped opposite of my anti-bird cage as I was waiting for some dear friends to show up. I noticed some movement near the cage which turned out to be a mocking bird. He had jumped from the ground to the netting about 2’ off of the ground. He starting pecking and pulling at the netting looking for an opening. Finding nothing he jumped back to the ground and starting walking along the bottom edge pecking again at the netting looking for an opening. What he didn’t realize is that the netting didn’t end at the ground but extended along the ground for a least a foot  away from the enclosure. He  was standing on the extended part. While he surveyed the netting from one end to the other Linda pointed out another mocking bird that flew to the top corner of the cage and started looking for an entrance on the upper part of the cage. He too was pecking and pulling on the netting trying to find a weak spot. Not to be out done, a third mocking bird flew to the other end of the cage and started walking down the lower edge also looking for an opening. He also was walking on the extended portion along the ground. Linda and I sat there for a least 5 minutes watching them, thoroughly amused by their antics. I would have stayed longer but as we were waiting on friends to show up to go out to lunch with us and Linda had to go in for a minute or two before they arrived, so we cut it short. I wished I would have had a video camera to record them in action. Up to this time the birds have only been watching and studying from the rooftops, trees, and power lines around the house but today they moved into action. Perhaps they know that the figs are getting close to ripening.

“gene”

I guess it feels great to have foiled the birds with your fig cage, much better feeling than the one you get when you realize the birds ate your figs

That's goes down as a win!
Not sure about mockingbirds, but we have plenty of catbirds in NJ. They seem to be pretty smart.
I just got my two rolls of birdblock netting, don't think I'm going quite as big as your cage (14 ft x 45 rolls).
I just need to figure out what to use for supports, wish pvc came in green!

What a great story, Gene. Mockingbirds are the new face of evil!

I've said this before...these birds are like the Roadrunner to my Wyle E Cayote. Last year the battle wasn't even close. I got my ass handed to me time and time again. 
I put up decoy plastic Easter eggs, painted black, thinking that they would get tired of pecking at plastic. After they finished off the figs, they sadistically smashed the eggs to fragments just to rub it in.

I placed individual clam-shell enclosures on some late maturing Bealls which were duly knocked to the ground, opened and pillaged.

I put up netting that I thought was hermetically sealed. They went under, over and around demolishing the figs, mocking me with their diabolical cackle. They even untied the double knotted string holding pieces of netting together effortlessly.

I am hoping my latest efforts will thwart these devil fiends....

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/New-Jersey-Red-Caged-6378077


Wiley E.

Thanks Gene that was an enjoyable post.

Great Gene! You have figs and entertainment all rolled into one.

John,

PVC does come in green - it's called paint.
I end up painting all my PVC white so that the paint covers the black or blue writing.  I use spray paint, but a brush would probably go even faster - just stake it in the ground and run up and down with a brush.

Andrew

Great story Gene:)  

funny story, gotta beat them somehow

Thanks for the comments. Today I haven't seen any mockingbirds doing any survey work. I just can't believe that they will give up with just one try. Once the smell of ripe figs fill the air I'm sure they will attack in force.

Frank, I like you cage as well. I have a few young single trees around the  yard and I will be doing the same when they start bearing figs.

I plan to get the last laugh.
"gene"

Stay away from a mocking-bird (often hidden) nest!
I have been dive-bombed at least on two (separate) occasions before
(it feels like somebody suddenly threw a small rock at the back of the head).

I do love their very loud mocking-songs (various) though...
(and their display of the white-stripes on the wings,
also the flickering of their long tail)

P.S. So far, they have not bothered with my figs at all.

If you build it, they will come.

And wait.



No one is bothering my figs yet, but there are many species of birds that are chowing down on the blueberries.

The most frustrated mocking bird I've witnessed was about 40 years ago.  As a teenager we had a mocking bird singing away and I got out my cassette tape recorder and recorded it for a few minutes.  I then placed it near the window sill next to the screen and turned it on.  This bird was really mad!  He flew by the window continuously, trying to locate the bird that had invaded his turf.  It was quite amusing.  I don't know how well it would work in a setting of multiple mocking birds.

That's funny Harvey. Mockingbirds are very territorial and defend it to the end. They'll take on crows which are 3 times there size. They fight across my yard all the time. There must be at least a dozen who try to claim my yard. Maybe I could record one singing and lure him into a trap and then relocate him, far far away.

You're right Gorgi, I've been bombed a few times myself but I wear a hat. It sure makes the hair stand up on my neck when they do it. The poor cats that roam loose catch hell.

Gina, that is one scary picture.

"gene"

Harvey,

     You may be on to something. A continuous recording of a territorial song may frustrate the birds so much as to abandon their quest for figs.

We have 2 feral cats that I feed because they kill most of the snakes that venture towards the house. Right before I went to Seattle I saw a mockingbird divebombing the cats. I told him he was gonna be dinner if he wasn't careful and sure enough, the next morning his feathers were decorating my garden.

Jeez, I love these cats!