Berries without Birds

For some reason, this year the birds are not ravaging my berries this year.  I suppose it is because there is more for them to eat elsewhere--for instance there are an awful lot of wild chokecherries this summer (we've made plain chokecherry juice and a mix of chokecherry, 'Doldo' crabapple and blackberry juice).  My blue berries which, usually get eaten even though I net them, have been fine and several other people I've spoken with have had the same experience.  I haven't put nets over my elderberries so far this year-  last year they were decimated even though I had tried to protect them. Much earlier, birds ate all my edible honeysuckle or honeyberry fruits- I didn't even get one.

The only bird that is getting on my nerves is the yellow-bellied sapsucker-  they have riddled my three Dolgo crabapples with holes

Jamming

For the last week, we have been making blackberry jam almost every night.  I try to pick a gallon of berries before coming in to the nursery every morning.  My youngest daughter, Libby, also picks and has helped me every time so far.  The blackberries seemed to come on even before the currants and gooseberries were over and we canned at least a hundred jars of gooseberry and currant juice.  Our kitchen has seen alot of activity of late.  I need to get nets over the elderberries before birds eat those and it won't be long till the Dolgo crabapples are ready- after that grapes and apple cider.