Berries and birds
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:50 am
Has anyone else noticed that it takes a while for birds to recognise new varieties of plants with edible fruits/berries in the garden?
Two years ago I bought a couple of blueberry bushes and had a very good crop without covering them with nets but this year they were eating them as soon as they started changing colour. The same thing happened when I planted a few Leycestria (pheasant berry) bushes around the garden. The first year or two nothing went near them, but this year the blackbirds and others can't leave them alone. So they seem to have to try them out and put them on their OK to eat list before they tuck in.
Two years ago I bought a couple of blueberry bushes and had a very good crop without covering them with nets but this year they were eating them as soon as they started changing colour. The same thing happened when I planted a few Leycestria (pheasant berry) bushes around the garden. The first year or two nothing went near them, but this year the blackbirds and others can't leave them alone. So they seem to have to try them out and put them on their OK to eat list before they tuck in.