Pick-your-own-cherry festival postponed as blackbirds 'devour' every cherry

It is quite common that festivals are cancelled due to severe weather, safety concerns, health-related issues, and more, but it is quite uncommon that a festival was cancelled due to a flock of blackbirds.

After some "cheeky" blackbirds stripped the cherry trees of their fruits, the organisers of a pick-your-own cherry festival in Cornwall, England, announced the event was off, The HuffPost reported.

The National Trust in Calstock, which manages the mediaeval house and grounds at Cotehele, had scheduled a five-day cherry-picking festival to begin on Wednesday. 

However, the event was postponed due to avian interference, according to trust officials on Instagram.

Unfortunately, the cheeky blackbirds who live at Cotehele, have jumped the queue and eaten ALL of the cherries in the orchard," the Instagram post read.

"Due to the unpredictable weather this spring, the blossom was staggered across a longer period, resulting in reduced pollination and less cherries growing," The post continued.

"We (not the blackbirds) are sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment caused. We hope to offer this event next year and in the mean time, you can join us for a Summer of Play and Apple Picking in September," they added.

All 80 of the orchard's cherry trees were stripped of their cherries in a matter of a few days, according to Laura Jarman of the National Trust.

She claimed that Catehele still intended to host an apple-picking event later this year and hoped to host a cherry-picking event the following summer, assuming the blackbirds would permit it.