B is for Berries

B is for Berries

As we make our way through the alphabet, we arrive at a source of food that sees many a birdy through the autumn and wintertime… berries.

Did you know that the UK has lost about 500,000km of hedgerow since the 1940’s? Well, it has, and that has had a huge impact on the birdlife which needs hawthorn, blackthorn, bramble and many other berry producing trees and shrubs to survive.

Take the beautiful waxwing and redwing birds for instance. These travel from colder climates to chomp on our berry laden hedgerows and woodland edges. Or our resident blackbirds, they can be seen throughout the year on or around a berry tree.

 

 

Waxwing photos taken by Richard Mullen

Not only that, but comma and dark green fritillary butterflies also take readily to a hedgerow with bramble growing through it – here’s Kevin Hensmann, course manager at Rowlands Castle, England taking a snap of a dark green on a bramble berry.

 

 

Whilst we’re on the subject, the waxwing snaps were taken by Richard Mullen, course manager at Banchory GC, Scotland. Richard is a good a wildlife photographer as you can get, as are many greenies and this is plainly evident from the BIGGA calendar entries we receive – why not take a peek at Richard’s website? The Art of Life (grassmanphotography.com)

I always suggest that hedges are of the utmost importance to the wildlife of a golf course. The reasons are many, however, the food which oozes out of one has to be about as valuable as you can get – berries!