Tom says the really big black birds are ravens. They studied local bird life in detail for Envirothon, and sure enough, there was a question on the wildlife test about crows vs. ravens!
You could try netting. DP never picks the berries from his bushes, anyway, so I figure we’re just doing a public service for the local avian community by letting them eat.
I need to borrow Tom for his perspective. These birds look as big if not bigger than the local hawks (maybe redtails?), but the local cats are rather large, too, so I can’t tell if they’re small ravens or large crows.
Your comment about doing a service to the local avian community brought a concept to mind. During a macroeconomics class, our prof expressed the following question: “Is it immoral to let a million people starve, or should we feed them and then have ten million starving people?” Sowell covers the concept in the “Black Rednecks” book (how self-sufficiency is discouraged and a culture of victimization is created when able-bodied people are encouraged to be dependent upon the government.) I’m fine with having more ravens and crows as long as they don’t bother the hummingbirds, purple martins, etc. More rambling. It’s not even 1700. I’ll get back to the tomatoes now :).