My urban backyard has always amazed me with the many different species of wildlife that take refuge there. Despite the rush of traffic on always-busy Tilghman Street, my neighbor's bird feeder regularly attracts cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, catbirds and mourning doves for their daily meals. But the other day I heard the unmistakeable cries of blue jays outside my window. At first I welcomed the arrival of these colorful flyers until I found out what they had come for—my blackberries. The berries are just beginning to ripen and although I expect I will have to share some of the bounty with my feathered friends, these greedy little beggars are decimating my harvest. It looks like I will have to cover the bushes with netting if I expect to get enough berries for a pie this summer.

Today I managed to catch the thieves in the act and thought I'd share the photos.

    Scoping out the joint

    Hmmmm, that one looks tasty!

    Caught in the act

    Leaving with the evidence

    Coming back for more