I wonder why.
Whilst I was out walking, I noticed what looked like a tree in full autumn splendour, but it's not autumn today, it's midwinter.
On closer inspection, I discovered that it was actually a cotoneaster bush in front of a tree, and it was absolutely laden with berries.
A little further down the road I came across a cotoneaster horizontalis bush, again covered in berries. What I don't understand, is why these bushes are covered in fruit, when the ones in my garden were stripped of all their berries months ago. Admittedly, the low growing bushes are near a busy road, but the taller bushes are well away from the road, adjacent to vacant land that no-one walks on. Strange. I hope it's not a sign of bad weather on the way, and that the birds have left these berries for such an event.
Today is St. Paul's Day, and yes, there is a saying that goes with it:
'If St. Paul's Day be fair and clear,
Then it betides a happy year.'
Well it's fair at the moment, but not clear, yet. Still, there's time. Here's hoping.
Jak ptaki będą głodne to zjedzą i te przy drodze. Bardzo ładne zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam. *** As birds are hungry and they eat it on the road. Very nice pictures. Yours.
ReplyDeleteI have a crabapple tree in my front yard. Nothing will eat the fruit. It's not native to the area. It could be that hawks or fox live in or near the cotoneaster and so the birds stay away. I'm wishing you fair and clear days throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteYou might be right about the hawks or foxes as we have both in the area. I hadn't thought of that.
DeleteWell, it's been raining and miserable here today - I hope the year will still be happy! I've often wondered how the birds decide which berries to eat. I have had them devour the berries off some bushes some years, and leave them alone others. Your guess is as good as mine!
ReplyDeleteMystery about the berries, but if the birds get hungry they will be braver.
ReplyDeleteWe've had two days of clouds and rain with wind here, but don't mind since it is much needed.
Crystal...your photos and writings are very natural and entertaining. Indeed nature is the best caretaker of all the creations.
ReplyDeleteHi Crystal - thanks for finding our California blog. I'm happy to find your UK blog and see that gardening with nature is a theme there too! We have cotoneaster here where I live on the central coast, and it's invasive. The birds do eat the berries and spread the dratted bushes. People use them in their gardens. Since you are seeing these randomly I suspect things are eating them. Maybe not as much as they would their native plant foods though? That might account for the abundance of berries.
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