VERNON, B.C. 鈥� You usually see them on the side of the road, wiggly arms and tube body bouncing around trying to attract people to a sale.

But a B.C. farmer has found a great use for the air dancers (or air rangers), which have protected his crop from pesky birds.

Peter鈥檚 U-Pick Orchard has rescued a bumper crop in large part thanks to the fun inflatables he used to protect his cherries.

鈥淭hey are working great compared to previous years where we would have flocks of birds on the early cherries now we just barely see a Jay or two in there compared to flocks of 20-40 at a time,鈥� said owner Peter Sidorczuk.

鈥淚 got the idea from our neighbour, the Krugers, they tried one last year in their grapes and she said it is working. So I did a bit of research online and bought three of them to try this year and am impressed.

鈥淚t is a great idea.鈥�

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The BX orchard, which opened for the season Saturday, also used a device called bird guard to protect the early cherries. Designed in Australia, the bird guard randomly emits bird distress calls.

Combined with the air dancers, there鈥檚 plenty of cherries available at the farm this year. Plus the devices have helped keep pesky birds from the Peter鈥檚 peaches and apricots.

Peter鈥檚 U-Pick, on Rimer Road, is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

jennifer@vernonmorningstar.com
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