A Merry Berry Christmas

HawberrySloesSnowberriesIvy berries

A Merry Berry Christmas by Adrian Leighton

The table is set with all kinds of Christmas fare. The room is warm and cosy and the curtains are drawn. Outside the chill winter weather paints a dull grey picture. Here the creatures of field, wood and garden seek to find their own Christmas cheer. But this is a hard time not of celebration but of survival.

Yet the natural world does evolve with a strategy of partnership and one of those in winter’s cold is the profusion of berries. This is particularly evident this year and here are some of the merry berries that you will find sustaining feathered and furry creatures.

Haw berries – like many of our wild shrubs and trees have fruited in abundance this year. These little red berries use the winter to shed their seeds by being eaten by birds and deposited elsewhere. Haw berries are a particular favourite of some of our winter visitors. From November onwards the hedgerows and fields along the canal above Lock1 will be full of chattering flyers. Fieldfares and Redwings come in large flocks from N. Europe eagerly feeding on the abundance of berries. Having stripped the branches of fruit some will fly on south whilst others hang around spreading out into fields and even gardens in really cold weather.

Sloes – these are the black fruit of the Backthorn shrub, but strictly speaking, they are not berries but related to Damsons as members of the Prunus family. The fruit, is well-known for being used to flavour gin, jellies and jams. In the natural world Blackbirds and Thrushes as well as Hawfinches brave the spiky shrub for a winter feast. Small mammals like hedgehogs may also benefit from the fruit.

Snowberries – (of the genus Symphoricarpos) and also known as Ghostberries, burst upon the hedgerow in November with the attractive silk white berries. But beware, unlike Haws and Sloes these are not edible, as they contain a toxin called Saponins which can cause some nasty symptoms. Some wild life , however, are not affected and enjoy the white feast, including Thrushes, Pheasants and Grouse. Also small mammals like mice and rabbits eye the juicy berries as they are rich in nutrients.

Ivy Berries – like other aspects of the Ivy plant are an important part of the ecosystem. In late winter the clusters of flowerhead erupt into black berries adding to the winter banquet. As winter progresses the toxins in the berries decrease with ripening and each berry has a high fat content. Thrushes, Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons as well as stay-over Blackcaps are some of the bird species that are partial to the fruit.

There are a number of other natural garden shrubs and trees that also add to the winter bounty including Holly, Mistletoe, Cotoneaster, Pyracantha and Dog Rose (Rosehips). Finally this year there has been a bumper crop of yellow Crabapples. On a tree in our garden, the fruit has hung for several months until the colder weather has softening the frruit, which now attract Blackbirds, who careful choose the the soft apple. A Grey Squirrel has also indulged itself regularly on the ripe apples, having made varies attempts to get at the nearby squirrel-proof feeders.

So while you are tucking into your turkey and brussel sprouts give a thought to the life outside your windows and wish a VERY MERRY BERRY CHRISTMAS to them all.

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