We’re still enjoying (while we can) the bumper crop of wild winterberry fruits this winter. The berries, which appear only on the females of these deciduous holly bushes, still are unharvested, as you can see from this image taken yesterday. Their red galaxies along our gray roadsides are a balm to the winter traveler’s eyes.
Soon, however, the birds will run out of tastier and more nutritious things and gulp down most (or all) of these little orbs, which reportedly are one of the last winter survival meals for more than 40 species of birds. Perhaps that’s why the berries remain so red – they’re easy for desperate birds to find. (Brooklin, Maine)