Cedar Waxwings and My Cranberries

A few years ago, I planted cranberry bushes, figuring it would be really cool to make our own cranberry sauce.

 

The bushes grew beautifully, but I found out that these cranberries were quite bitter and no amount of sugar seemed to be able to take care of it. Last year I didn't harvest them, figuring the birds would most likely love them.

 

The whole winter the berries were there, seemingly ignored by the birds. I wondered whether they maybe also thought them too bitter?

 

But this spring, a few days ago, suddenly there were waxwings all over it all day. Within a few days we went from tons of berries to no berries at all. Interesting timing, I never realized that they didn't get eaten till spring. There were other years I didn't harvest, but I didn't keep track of when they disappeared.

 

I have more waxwing pictures from the crabapple tree, which they also love, but they are for another day.