We are big time bird lovers. We provide food during the cold months for them but now, as summer begins, they are foraging for food naturally. However, if you still want to attract birds at different times of the year, one of the best ways is by planting native trees and shrubs that produce berries at different times.
Ripening right now are the juicy berries of our two ornamental serviceberry trees (Amelanchier spp.) ‘Autumn Brilliance’ that are providing most of the backyard entertainment for us. In my opinion, this 25′ understory tree is one of the most beautiful trees you can plant. The tree is literally covered in early white flowers in the spring making it an early source of pollen and nectar for insects as well as eye candy for us, and now… berries are beginning to ripen in hanging clusters and the trees are alive with wildlife.
We thought maybe there’d be a few ripe berries for us but it’s not to be. Just take a look at a few of the feathered visitors:
The catbirds found the berries first
The cardinals weren’t far behind
I’m amazed at how the cedar waxwings find us each year but they do… accomplishing acrobatics in their formal dress. They travel in a flock so we know the berries won’t last much longer. All stages of fruit are on the tree but the waxwings don’t mind green berries.
Difficult for me to capture on a smart phone but I was curious whether this robin below with a beak full of 3 worms could actually have the ability to snag a berry, too. As you can see in the second fuzzy photo, operation accomplished! Off to feed its young…
Birds aren’t the only animals that enjoy these tasty treats. We’ve seen our neighborhood four-footed animals reaching for the ripest berries.
And so… I am willing to give up my dream of serviceberry jam, serviceberry pie or maybe a little serviceberry wine, just to attract varied wildlife to the yard. Our serviceberry trees will provide summer shade for my perennials and in the fall, the trees’ foliage will glow in deep reds, yellows, and oranges. As our trees age, the bark will become rough but, with our young trees we have the smooth gray bark for winter interest.
If I had servicberries, I would not share them with the birds. Every time I try to grow them, something happens to them. We used to grow the plants at the farm, but I did not plant any out in the landscape at the time. We do have elderberries later, but there are enough to share with everyone who wants them, even the fat doves.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We can’t stop the wildlife. Ours are grown as trees and much too tall to net. But that’s fine by us. The birds are entertainment enough.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In the Los Angeles region, no one takes the carob pods from the carob trees, so they get eaten by the naturalized green parrots who make such a mess of the cars parked below!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love your photos of the birds, but I’m afraid I’m the one that tries to encourage the squirrels and chipmunks to visit my neighbors.
LikeLike
Ha! Then you won’t want a serviceberry tree. Our one little chipmunk swelled to four traveling in from other locations and squirrels are bypassing forest nuts for sweet berries. They’ll soon all be gone as our one tree is stripped clean of berries and the other is 1/2 gone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We too here in the Old Dominion state plant for birds, which sometimes give thanks by decorating our automobiles. They may be in cahoots with our car wash company.
LikeLiked by 2 people
🤣 Very true! They can make a mess. At our home it’s usually on outdoor chairs and benches. I forgive them…
LikeLike
We are bird lovers too, and have now renamed our red currant bush ‘the green currant bush’ because – unlike the birds in our previous home — these ones eat the currants green. Or maybe it’s the squirrels or chipmunks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps they know to eat them good and early before we humans come for the ripe berries.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure that’s the clever plot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such lovely birds to feed. A little different to the European ones.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love seeing the European ones when I travel. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person