Cedar Waxwings Flock to Red Elderberries

Each year when my red elderberries ripen, cedar waxwings flock to my backyard to gobble up the berries. For a few short days I enjoy the striking beauty of these birds, and then, they disappear as suddenly as they came.

This morning the blue jays are enjoying a feast and are reluctant to to invite the cedar waxwings to dine.  I haven't noticed blue jays eating the elderberries in past years, but several robins often join in the feeding frenzy.

Within a day or two the birds will have plucked the bushes clean and moved on to new feeding grounds. Last year, I saw a lonely oriole who stopped to explore.

My chokecherry tree will soon offer up another feast for hungry birds. By fall, my row of sunflowers should produce enough seeds to support a healthy flock of birds.

If you enjoy inviting birds to your backyard, try planting shrubs and trees that offer them fruit and supplement their food with bird feeders. To learn more about types of bird feeders and the advantages of each visit my Choosing a Bird Feeder Page. 

Not sure what seed to offer? Check my Choosing Birdseed for Your Feeder page. See the convenient chart at the bottom of the page for seed preferences for common birds.

                      Until next time - enjoy your birds & HAPPY GARDENING!