Goldfinches and tomatoes

We have tomatoes on the front porch. You can't see the whole plant because they look pitiful and the Tomato Humane Society would be calling me.

Now the problem. We'd go out in the morning and the ties would be slipped down on the stems or broken apart. With no support the tomatoes leaned waaaay over. We would slip the ties back up, replace or retie them. Next day, same thing.....hmmm.

I happened to be sitting in the living room one day and saw movement on the tomatoes. Huh?






It was this little buzzard (an American Goldfinch) and his mate. They were busily tugging and shredding the ties we'd used to hold up the tomatoes! They nest in July and August so I cut some thread and a few pieces of wool, added some fake ties to the top of the stakes and so far no more fallen tomatoes. I guess our ties are the hot trend for nests this year.

He's sitting in our maple tree waiting for me to leave so he can go back to his thieving ways.