FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] From Last Spring's Freeze - Some Nuts & Berries Made It

["David Stone" <rockyturf@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

    The Cicadas (we called them July Flies when I has a kid) are making so much 
noise that what few high-pitched bird I might hear are drowned out. Therefore, 
I have been observing those I can plainly see.
    Now that we are into the middle of summer I have a few observations about 
the damage to nuts & berries from the hard April freeze. Here in Ooltewah at 
The Honors golf course I have seen some Hickory trees with some nuts on them. 
It is hard to say but I would guess they do not have nearly as many as normal. 
Many of the Hickory trees do not have any nuts but there does not seem to be 
any rhyme or reason. Some that have nuts are in high spots but some are also in 
low areas that tend to get colder on cold nights. The leaves on these trees 
were almost totally blackened by that freeze (some still have some black leaves 
hanging on).

    We have some Southern Red Oaks with some acorns but I have not seen any 
acorns on any other oaks including White Oaks.

     Some Mulberry trees had some berries although they were about 3-4 weeks 
later than normal and not very many. I saw an American Robin eating some on 
June 17 that were not quite ripe (I have seen birds eating them before they are 
ripe other years also).

    The freeze did not hurt Blackberries but the lack of rain did. Some berries 
dried up on the vine. We have gotten some rain relief the last three weeks and 
there are still a lot of berries that made it. Most of these are smaller than 
normal. There are still some that are not yet ripe. Birds have been busy 
feeding on them as I have seen Red-bellied Woodpeckers, American Robbins, 
Northern Mockingbirds, European Starlings, Summer Tanagers, Scarlet Tanagers,  
Eastern Towhees, Orchard Orioles & House Finches all eating them this week.

    Virginia Trumpet Creeper does not seem to be hurt at all by the freeze or 
the dry weather. I see lots of blooms and seedpods on them. That is some good 
news for this winter as I have seen lots of birds eating seeds out of the pods 
in winter.

    We have a fair number of Dogwood trees that have berries. I also saw a 
Persimmon with fruit on it today. We have walnuts but I have not seen any 
Blackgum berries.

    I assume some of the state wildlife people have or perhaps are still 
surveying to see what food will be available for wildlife and birds but that is 
what I see in a very unscientific survey at the golf course here in southeast 
Tennessee.


David Stone
Ooltewah, Tn.
Hamilton Co.
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