Sunday 11 November 2012

Bounty Hunters

Dinner is served as Nature reveals her bounty:


This conifer, growing in my neighbour's garden, had been hidden by my overgrown lilac tree that had grown into the side of it. But last year I had the lilac drastically pruned. The conifer spent all last year adjusting to its new found freedom. This summer, I noticed it was producing fruits, and now its seeds are attracting a lot of attention.


And this conifer is growing in another neighbour's garden. It is now a very large tree, and has been producing these cones for several years. My neighbour originally purchased it as a Christmas Tree, and after the holiday season was over, he planted it in his garden, and it just grew and grew. It attracts a lot of wildlife; flocks of goldfinches often come for the seed, and squirrels like to run along its long branches.


My neighbour also has this large holly bush laden with berries. Now I have a large holly tree in my garden, and it flowers every year, but berries, not a one. Apparently, I have a male of the species, wouldn't you know it, and only the females produce berries. I suppose I shouldn't complain, my tree was planted by Nature, so it was a freebie. And it is helping to pollinate my neighbour's plant.

So you see, it is not only the plants you grow in your own garden that attract wildlife, your neighbour's gardens play their part too. And if you haven't got any seeds or berries growing naturally for the birds, you can always feed them:


Since taking this photo, I have moved this feeder, as I discovered that rainwater from the shed roof was running down the wall and into the feeder. It is now hanging in an apple tree and looks a lot happier. Have you ever seen a happy bird feeder?  Anyway, I've removed the old seed and am allowing it to dry out before cleaning and refilling. It will be even happier then, as will the birds. At the moment it is the bird equivalent to an empty shop window.

12 comments:

  1. Hi Crystal,

    I'm still waiting for my berry trees/shrubs to mature so I too can provide plenty of food for the birds! :D

    Love a nice, big Holly. Just don't have the room though...

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    1. My holly tree is growing up through the hawthorn tree, two for the price of one, so to speak. But I have to prune it lot because it does grow really large.

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  2. It is wonderful to be able to enjoy nature all around, not just on your property. I feed the birds all year with a feeder though this time of year, the feeder is used by deer and squirrels.

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    1. You'll have to put a sign up "No deer or squirrels allowed"
      Somehow I don't think it would work though.

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  3. I agree, I am sure your feeder will be happier hanging from the tree, so will the birds and so will you, ah everyone is happy.

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  4. I've never seen a bird eating berries off a tree like that. Really need to get a bird feeder - yours and Alastair's pictures are making me broody.

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  5. A timely reminder of the importance of trees not only to our landscape but to our wildlife also. My Holly is tucked into a corner at the furthest end of the garden and can't be seen from the window so I never see who eats the berries...I should have thought about that when I planted it...silly me!

    Love the bird feeder, hope it soon dries out and is up and running again.

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    1. Sounds like your holly is in the same position as my ivy. I noticed today that the ivy is starting to produce berries, but I'll never see who eats them either.

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  6. Dobrze jest mieć w ogrodzie owoce, którymi się mogą karmić ptaki zimą. Dokarmianie też jest potrzebne i miło obserwować w karmnikach ptaki. Pozdrawiam.
    It is good to have in the garden of fruit, which I can feed the birds in winter. Feeding a need and it's nice to watch the birds in the feeders. Yours.

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    1. The birds have also got a good supply of apples now, as they were too high on the tree for me to reach them.

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