Trying to outsmart the birds

Figs

Do you see all the little green figs on the branch in the above picture?  In less than a month, they will be fatter and a lovely amber shade.  They will be SO delicious.  You will wonder what the heck that stuff is in a Fig Newton, because it tastes nothing like a fig fresh off the tree!

However, the birds and squirrels also know about the figs.  And I guess they stay up late at night, because they beat me to 99% of the figs, year after year.  So this year I'm trying to outsmart them.  Actually I'm trying to scare them away, but in a very gentle manner.

See those aluminum pie plates?  I've hung 9 of them up, on branches all over the tree. They're supposed to scare away the little darlin's because they twist in the breeze (what breeze?) and reflect the sun.  We'll see if it works.  I'll report back.  My husband wants to ship some figs to his dad who had a fig tree next to his house in Italy.  I have no idea how to ship figs, but will cross that bridge if I get any figs.

Ciao,
Anne