Going, going, gone
Anyone who owns a berry producing tree or shrub might have noticed interesting patterns in the depletion of these morsels. While in some instances fruits and berries are taken quite steadily, in others berries can be pilfered in a very short space of time. The pictures below show how Blackbirds stripped the Pyracantha shrub of Carolyn Bailey, Warrington, in just a matter of hours in early November. The photos were taken using a Bird Cam that Carolyn had installed, with the image homed in on a single branch of the shrub (representing about a fifth of the total berries). Remember, you can record rates of berry depletion through our Birds and Garden Berries Study.
06:45
The early bird catches the berry - a Blackbird gets to work...
08:09
In the fog, more Blackbirds join the party...
09:48
By now, many of the upper berries have been taken...
10:19
By mid-morning the Blackbirds are well on the way to having polished off the berries completely. They won't want their lunch!
Share this page