Native Eastern Red Cedar | Kim Smith Films

A very berry morning to you!

During early morning walks it has been a joy to observe the many beautiful songbirds breakfasting on the array of autumn foods readily available, truly a smorgasbord of seeds, berries, and fruits.

My wild creature habitat radar has been especially drawn to a wonderful spot, so nicknamed ‘Four Berries Corners.’ Always alive at this time of year with chattering songbirds, there is a lovely crabapple tree, bittersweet, a small tree with black berries, privet I think, and two scraggly, but highly productive, Eastern Red Cedar trees.

In thinking about the about the most successful habitats for songbirds, a combination of seed-producing wildflowers, grasses, and garden flowers are planted along with primarily native flowering and fruiting trees and shrubs. The shrubs and trees also play the important role of providing nesting habitat and protective cover. The photo collection is a small sampling, and meant for design inspiration.

Native Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and Male House Finches

House Finch Male Femlae Crabapple Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 52 of 61

House Finch Male Femlae Crabapple Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 55 of 61

House Finch Male Femlae Crabapple Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 53 of 61

House Finch Male Femlae Crabapple Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 54 of 61

House Finch Femlae Crabapple Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 56 of 61

A male and female House Finch feeding each other in the Crabapples!

Snow Bunting Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 20 of 61

Song Sparrow Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 46 of 61

Bob-o-link Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 5 of 61

Grass seeds, much beloved by many including Song Sparrows, Bobolinks, and even Snow Buntings

Poison Ivy berries – by no means am I suggesting to plant, just mentioning that over 60 species of birds have been documented eating Poison Ivy drupes.

Red-winged Blackbird Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 15 of 61

Red-winged Blackbird Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 16 of 61

Red-winged Blackbird Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 17 of 61

Cattail seed heads for male Red-winged Blackbirds

Song Sparrow Sunflowers Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 3 of 61

Red-wiinged Blackbirds Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 9 of 61

Song Sparrow Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 10 of 61

Song Sparrow Sunflowers Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 2 of 61

Goldfinch Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 26 of 61

Bob-o-link Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 4 of 61

Goldfinches Male and Female Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 25 of 61

Blue Jay Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 21 of 61

Sunflower Seeds fo all!

Red-tailed hawk Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 22 of 61

Merlin Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 1 of 61

Red-tailed Hawk Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 24 of 61

REd-tailed Hawk Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 23 of 61

Cooper's Hawk Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 33 of 61

Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 36 of 61

Along with songbirds, come their predators. Look for Merlins, Red-tailed and Cooper’s Hawks

Blue jay Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 44 of 61

Blue jay Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 50 of 61

Blue jay Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 51 of 61

Blue Jay Autumn Birds, Berries, and Seeds Northeast copyright Kim Smith - 49 of 61

Blue Jay preening after a morning of berry eating

The berries of Spindle Tree are the most beautiful part of the tree, but the tree is not recommended as it reseeds freely and is notorious for pushing out species of native trees and shrubs.

Seed heads make great perches for dragonflies and damselflies