Rowan Berry Bonanza

This year may be a poor one for apples, pears and other tree fruit, but not for the rowans. The trees are red with fruit, and adding to the spectacular autumn colour show we have this year. The early frosts have given our trees dramatic colours and because we haven't had too many windy days, the leaves are lingering on the trees.

Glen Tilt looking glorious. Notice the bright red rowan tree.

Back to the rowan... the berry bonanza is great news for many birds. Visitors such as redwings and fieldfares are well known for stopping on migration to feast on the berries. But it's not just the birds that enjoy the feast. Clues on the ground show us that some mammals have been enjoying them too! But what mammal is nimble enough to climb up to where the berries are ? Only squirrels or pine martens. The red squirrels are busy enjoying the harvest of beech nuts and hazelnuts just now, and also the size of the dropping indicates something bigger. Pine martens also enjoy blaeberries earlier in the year, and leave purple trails behind!

Clusters of rowan berries

Pine marten dropping in Glen Tilt