For the Birds

[greyphase]

Walking through the Back40 Orchard today, I spied these Cedar Waxwings chowing down on some Winter Wildlife crabs.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Not a crabapple but I have a row of the dreaded Honey Suckle out my shop window. Always enjoy watching the Cardinals, Blue Jays and other fruit eating birds throughout the winter.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nice pic, Grey. We get cedar waxwings in our Profusion crab right outside our house, usually in late Feb. and into March. They hammer our crab and the neighbor's before migrating on.

 

[H20fwler]

AWESOME pic!
Rare to see those around here with the lack of conifers in my area and the heavy ag use. We do get good sized flocks of tufted titmice that are nice to see.
We planted a bunch of sargent crabapple, dogwood and cranberry just for birds in our shrub strips, maybe we will get some migrants to hang around here sometime.

 

[rocksnstumps]

That is a neat pic. No action shots on this tree that got worked over in Feb, but I think they left some evidence in the snow. First pic is what if looks like all winter until times get tuff and turkeys get out and about more. Went back a week after the second pic and picked clean.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Rocks - What kind of crab is that in the pic ?? ^^^^^

 

[chummer]

I have cedar waxwings all summer, they love the Hawthorne fruit.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Rocks - What kind of crab is that in the pic ?? ^^^^^

It's a mutt. Actually a seedling from siberian crab most likely that has yellow fruit about 1 inch dia which is big for that variety. They turn reddish and shrivel up some after hanging for months. Part of a planting from wildlife trees from NWTF that years ago you could sign up for free from a local chapter. They must taste like crap, only get taken out late in winter.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^^ Thanks, Rocks. At least critters are using them at a point in winter when food is needed. That's a big plus.