Ripening?

There are 24 apples on our tree (see blossom on 17 May) but will they ripen? There were twice as many a couple of months ago, but the birds had a good go a them until I hung CDs from the branches as a deterrent - or until they'd has all the ones they could reach! I ate one picked 10 days ago and it was not properly ripe, but the pips had started to darken and it didn't make me ill. Some are a really good size. Maybe this first crop will bear out Mme A's assertion that you can't grow decent fruit in Scotland.