turkeys at breakfast October 29, 2006
Posted by Sandy in a small garden in maine.trackback
Originally uploaded by tomygardenpath.
I was up before the turkeys this morning since I forgot to change the clocks last night. Even though it is still kind of dark, I wanted to see if I could get this shot.
This bush with the red berries is a favorite breakfast spot for the turkeys. They come to it each morning after they flutter down from their their tree. You can see that they lower branches are already bare. When they can’t reach up anymore, they fly up and grab the upper berries. By mid winter, the bush is bare. When I was taking a closeup shot the other day, a flock of robins was feasting. It is across the street from me, so can’t see what other smaller birds feed there.
Below is the closeup of the bush. I think it is winterberry, but not sure. Let me know if it isn’t.
Hi Sandy,
It looks like an ilex verticillata, commonly known as winterberry. It is a deciduous member of the holly family and yes, the birds love it. It’s particularly beautiful when seen against the white snow (that is, if the berries last that long!) Love your flock of turkeys.
What a beautiful ilex verticillata! Nice and big and full of berries, no wonder the turkeys are feasting there, I would too if I were a turkey. I like the setting–the grays and late autumn colors, lovely photo and having the turkeys in the scene is perfect. Worth not changing the clocks last night when you can get a picture like this.
Cool turkeys! It must be fun to have these in your backyard!
Thanks Giddy and Judith. It is a beautiful bush in the winter, much fuller than the one I find in the woods.
Don’t worry Pam, you will have turkeys before long, they seem to be
spreading fast. It won’t be long until you are chasing them out of your garden!
I misread your title as *Turkeys for breakfast* -
The winterberry holly and the birch are beautiful together. I just planted 5 winter berries that are about 2 feet tall. I look forward to them looking like yours.
Hunters are working their way up and down the river — so our turkey visitors seem to be in hiding.
What a delightful way to awake