B- Have you seen chipmunks around?
Looks like little critters.

I don't think we have chipmunks here, though we do have squirrels.

I'm betting pretty heavily on it being a bird, though. When the cherry tomatoes get hit, its five or six little peck marks. And this, looking up close, was pretty clearly peck marks as well.

Must have been a good tomato, because whatever it was liked it a lot more than the cherries!

I'm entertaining dark thoughts of buying my first air gun in fifteen years... But if I missed, I'd just nail a tomato. :-(

I'm thinking that could be a squirrel, though the squirrels in my neighborhood like to pull the bounty, take them up on top of my 8 foot privacy fence, eat it about as much as yours was eaten, then leave the half eaten carcus on top of the fence, as if to taunt me. Either way, if you want to save your CPs, you better put a bird net around them. I've found those to stop birds, squirrels, and possibly other criters (I know I have possums) if put on in such a way to deny entry from any angle. None of the other stuff I've tried worked, but the nets have been working for me. Good luck.

I've had the same thing happen to my tomatoes here in Alabama... It definitely was a darn bird, as I caught him in the act on several occasions. A friend told me about putting a rubber snake (no fooling!) in the garden near the tomatoes & it really worked! Be sure and move the snake around occasionally.

I have problems with the cactus Wren, they like anything that just starts to blush. I built a large cage around my container garden so it is about 12x12x8 and they hang on the chicken wire and reach in and still get my tomatoes. They also get the Japs peppers that are turning red. I usually harvest them when they start to turn. I can not grow a tomato outside the cage.

Yesterday, I lost one Cherokee Purple to the bird, a couple of deep beak marks. So I tented over the whole tomato area with half inch netting.

Some time mid this morning, he nailed another Cherokee Purple, which was about half red, THROUGH the netting. (I sliced up the bottom half, hoping it was red enough, and it was really good, though I'm sure it would have been better in a couple more days.)

I caught the bird at it on the remains of the tomato on the compost heap. Little punk.

Having spent much of my boyhood with a BB-gun in hand, I was ranting that the bird's days were numbered and I was going out to buy an air gun, but my wife points out that given that most of the remaining tomatoes can't be reached through the net, and not many more are setting, I'm mostly just being childish. Still, it would be satisfying...

I think I may build a cage like biermaster next year. If I put plastic over it at first so it's like a greenhouse, I could even plant in January!

Here's a weird question for you, Brendan: Do the birds in your neighborhood have a good source of drinking water? I live just a little south of Austin and with our early drought I've noticed lots of birds hanging around my garden birdbath. I've had very little damage to my tomatoes even though the birds like to perch on my CRW cages, and flit around on the plants looking for bugs. Just a theory, but maybe the birds are "drinking" your tomatoes.....

B- What type of bird was it?
I'm interested as we have birds also as I have never actually seen this (or caught the culprits in the act.)
If you erect some type of frame at transplant, or now, well away from the projected branch length, then stretch the netting around the frame, has been for us, an effective system to deter. I would end the edge of the fabric just overlapping the other edge, then you could access for harvesting or other stuff.

Tom

Are you sure it's not a rabbit?

Zeuspaul

I have tomatoes eaten the same way and it is a mockingbird. We have plenty of water in the area so it isn't water. I finally started throwing bad tomatoes across the yard near a feeder and keep my tomatoes picked early. It has helped. I watched that bird eat on the bad tomatoes and it is a wonder he wasn't sick. He must have eaten a third of his body weight.

I'm totally ignorant about birds, but he's got a light gray chest, and gray-brown wings with a blue-white stripe on them. There's just one, and he seem to live in the neighbor's tree. He also seems pretty territorial, and will try to scare the blackbirds and other things in the area away.

I haven't tried putting out water. That's a thought, I suppose. Still, it seems like it's the color. He only goes after them as they turn red.

I've got netting all over now, held down with tent stakes. And at the advice of someone at work, I bought some rubber snakes and scattered them around.

I got a picture of him the other day:

Cheeky devil.

That looks like a Mockingbird.What I've been wondering since the tomato conamination on the news is whether West Nile Virus can be injected into a tomato from a bird pecking . I did just cut the bad place out and eat the remainder, but no more.
CDG

Mockingbird and they apparently LOVE tomatoes.

I guess that would explain why he's mocking me.

Now, to kill a mockingbird...

You wouldn't go and kill the official state bird of Texas would you? I know you're joking, but that actually is a crime, if you were thinking about it!

Pecking tomatoes is a crime!!!!!!!!!
Scare him good with a firecracker!!!!

Go get a cat - The ultimate bird defense - In the state of Texas it is illegal for a "human" to kill a mockingbird - As for that pussy he can tear him a new A**hole

This is what you do, you take a thin dowl rod or stake or pole, and at the top of it tie something long and shiny and makes a little noise, like those things little childrens bicycles have at the ends of the handle bars, and put it in the ground next to the tomatoes, works like a charm for birds, better than a scare crow, but it is little critters that are eating them up, get some racoon or deer urine and put it around the perimeter of the garden, that will definatlly work too.

RE: "but it is little critters that are eating them up, get some racoon or deer urine and put it around the perimeter of the garden, that will definatlly work too."

I'm new to gardening so I'd love some instructions on how is it that I "milk" a racoon or deer for some of that urine. First you catch....

You don't "milk" them, you sneak up on them and scare the pi$$ outta them.

Just hold that cup steady, and don't forget to put on gloves.

I had that problem before. I got so tired of it that i personally wrapped each tomato with paper towels on the plant.

Try using netting over your plants also.

Hint=> You can still eat that tomato as long as you slice the eaten part. enjoy!

For anyone fearing: No birds are being harmed in the protection of these tomatoes. Even punky little Texas state birds.

I've got netting over the whole tomato section of the garden now, and half a dozen rubber snakes scattered around, and so far there are no more tomatoes pecked. If I do get hit again anyway, maybe I'll try a wind-drive noise maker. Goodness knows we have plenty of hot dry wind lately.

I'm new to this forum and have enjoyed all the great information and sharing between fellow tomato growers!

I have a very easy/quick/cheap solution for birds, or any mammal-type critters, getting to your tomatoes. And I can tell you the solution in three words...knee high pantyhose!

Okay, now for those of you who can refrain from chuckling I'll explain how this works...and works better than all-over netting...or shooting spit-wads at the little guys! lol

1. Knee high pantyhose are VERY cheap if you buy them at the dollar stores (they come in packs of multiple pairs so is really inexpensive)...or, heck, as any woman knows once their pantyhose gets a hole in the toe they are worthless...until now...now you can recycle them for use on your tomatoes. (I love finding ways of going "green".) You can also use regular pantyhose that are no longer wearable by just cutting off the legs and then cutting them into 6" - 12" sections.

2. No matter what size tomato you are growing, the pantyhose material will stretch over the individual tomato without hurting it. In the case of cherry tomatoes, you can easily stretch it like a sleeve over the whole bunch on the stem. (The knee high sleeve is also great for helping keep those cherry tomatoes that like to fall off when you are working around the plant from snapping off accidentally.)

3. The pantyhose material will allow sun and air to filter through while camouflaging the yellow/orange/red color of your ripening tomato from the eyes of hungry critters flying overhead or rummaging around on ground level. (Someone above mentioned they thought the color is what attracted eaters...they are right...tomatoes turning yellow/orange/red is like a beacon to them!) However, YOU will be able to easily see through the pantyhose when the tomato is ripe and ready pick.

4. I have also found with the pantyhose around the tomato I have not had any of the usual insects noshing on the fruit either. I guess they don't like having to first chew through the synthetic fabric...lol.

5. It is easier to work around the whole plant if you are not having to remove or move full netting from around the cages. The pantyhose can just stay around the individual tomato until you remove the ripe fruit. PLUS you can then reuse the pantyhose on another ripening tomato.

6. My garden looks better...I see the plants and not netting draped over plants. The pantyhose color just sort of blends in with the normal colors of the garden.

I hope that is of help to you! Thanks for letting me share!

Spirit_Driven

That tomato picture looks exactly like my tomatoes. I have about 20 plants and haven't got to eat one yet! I made a boxed frame out of pvc & set on top of a couple of plants & covered with bird netting. It didn't come quite to the ground, but we didn't think the birds would be brave enough to go under it. One did. It was flying around inside the "cage" and another mockingbird sat on top squawking encouragement to it. It finally got out on its own. I took the frame apart & just put the net across the plants & anchored on the bottom with rocks. I don't think they can get in now.

Mockingbird wars: Them-20, Me-0

And I paid good money for those tomato plants!

That looks a squirrel attack too. My tomatoes have been hit by both birds and squirrels here in Ohio. Maddening!

Goggling resulted in these solutions for squirrels and birds. * is by the ones others say are effective:
red Christmas ornaments tied to plants
birdbath (prefer water to tomato juice)*
rubber snakes*
pie pans tied to cages
pick turning tomatoes and ripen elsewhere
coyote urine*
blood meal*
peanuts at the other end of the yard*
coffee grounds
rags soaked in vinegar tied on sticks near (not in) the garden
mothballs nearby (not in the garden)

Has anyone tried scarecrows? Maybe one would look cute in the garden.

I cut 12"squares from that net fabric that little girls tutus are made from. It is very cheap at fabric stores. I wrap it around the tomato and clip the top with a clothes pin. I also tie old CDs on string where they can blow around easily. They move with very little breeze. I also used them on sticks to keep the robins from pulling up my seedlings. They worked for me.

The most simple solution is to pick the tomato as soon as you see color change. Why keep it on the vine where it is vulnerable to just such an attack. Unless you have birds in on your counter, it would ripen just as well in there. The birds live, and you get to eat your tomato.

CH

Something has been nibbling on my maters too. Its either mice or chipmunks. But they just make smaller bites and move on to another whole one. We've been in a drought and I think they get alot water out of the tomatoes.
Sorry about your problem! Whatever it was, it sure was liking that tomato!
Can you throw some bird netting over things?

I picked a whole cluster of Anna Russian 3 days ago because they were very low to the ground and quite exposed and I was worried that, if I left them on the vine, someone would try to taste them in the garden. I was watching the next few that were blushing.... This morning's garden inspection:

I guess I'll get some stockings, or tulle.

The ones picked 3 days ago are getting pretty red but still feel a day short of table ripe to me. Maybe I'll make pasta with fresh tomato sauce this eve. Would the pecked, pale one be worth using in a sauce like that, or should I just chuck it?

Desert wrens and what have you will NOT STOP BOTHERING my plants! I'm so buying some fake snakes to put around my garden, some nice poisonous looking ones.

One of the time tested and effective solution is picking at the first sign of color break, bringing in and letting to ripen inside.

Another thing that might help is to provide water (in shallow dishes) ,in the shade near the plant. Bird are picking not because of food but to get water.

Sey

My birds are unimpressed with my water offerings and instead do this to the plant nearest to the water station, it was knee high and a beautiful bush of a pepper plant.

fake rattlesnake is worth trying at this point.

I doubt it very much that the birds did it ; RABBITs did it.

Sey

I just saw my first bird damage (stabby looking messy damage) on my tomatoes today. It had been sunny and dry for over a week, so I think water might be a factor. There are thunderstorms moving through now, so I'll see whether the bird damage continues.

We don't have rabbits but I have caught birds red-handed doing things like this. I've sat and watched them disassemble palm fronds and fly off with them too. So, since my yard and neighborhood are rabbit-free and this area of my yard is covered with bird poop and I've seen birds steal my pepper plants (and melon vines and basil plants and who knows what else) before, pretty sure it was the birds, yet again.