[NatureNS] re high-bush cranberries & cedar waxwings and creepers

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were starlings.&amp;nbsp; I was too mise
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Hi Jim & All,                        Feb 1, 2016
    I agree Jim, in Eastern Kings Co. Highbush Cranberry seem to be =
taken by birds as a last resort. But it may be a mistake to assume that =
all Highbush Cranberry are equal; even to birds.

    We have two Highbush Cranberries Viburnum trilobum Marsh. (aka V. =
Opulus var americanum Ait.) which is reputed to be excellent for cooking =
and V. Opulus L. (Introduced and sometimes escaped) which is bitter. And =
I suspect that by now there have been many crosses and back crosses; =
just a guess.
    I tried cooking what I thought to be Highbush Cranberries ~1947 from =
the edge of the Cornwallis Meadow at Cambridge, having read something =
about the berries being good for jelly, and they tasted like puke so I =
suppose they were Opulus L. or a hybrid. I have never looked for =
intermediate plants.
    In any case, my experience with wild food plants is that they can be =
extremely variable with regard to palatability.  =20
Yt, DW, Kentville=20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Jim Wolford=20
  To: naturens=20
  Sent: Monday, February 01, 2016 5:45 PM
  Subject: [NatureNS] re high-bush cranberries & cedar waxwings and =
creepers


  Very interesting, Donna, thanks, but a bit puzzling to this =
naturalist.  In the Wolfville area, high-bush cranberries often last for =
most or all of the winter, providing some nice colour against the snowy =
landscape.  My impression has been that they are somehow less palatable =
than the other wild fruits like mountain-ash or hawthorns or others.  =
Thus I am wondering if, in Donna=92s area, either Bridgetown or near =
Keji=92 Park, some of the wild fruits are already depleted?


  Cheers from JIm in Wolfville.


  P.S. Since my earlier report of unidentified waxwings here (perhaps =
cedars?), no others have been reported lately (that I have heard about). =




  Begin forwarded message:


    From: Donna Crossland <dcrossland@eastlink.ca>

    Subject: [NatureNS] cedar waxwings and creepers

    Date: February 1, 2016 at 3:05:17 PM AST

    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca

    Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca



    I came across a flock of ~ 25 cedar waxwings on a =91spring walk=92 =
today.   They were consuming our high bush cranberries with gusto.  One =
swallowed 5 berries in a row, then took off.  I returned with =
binoculars, and confirmed that there was not a single Bohemian among =
them.  A brown creeper and a group of chickadees all seemed to be =
attracted to the festivity, and all matching the same high pitches =
emitted by the cedar waxwings.   There are lots of Canada holly berries =
this year as well, but the high bush cranberries were getting all of the =
attention.

    Donna Crossland


  No virus found in this message.
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http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
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<BODY=20
style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
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bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>Hi Jim &amp;=20
All,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Feb 1, 2016</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I agree Jim,&nbsp;in Eastern Kings =
Co.&nbsp;Highbush=20
Cranberry seem to be taken by birds&nbsp;as a last resort. But it may be =
a=20
mistake to assume that all Highbush Cranberry are equal; even to =
birds.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have two Highbush Cranberries Viburnum =
trilobum=20
Marsh. (aka V. Opulus var americanum Ait.) which is reputed to be =
excellent for=20
cooking&nbsp;and V. Opulus L. (Introduced and sometimes escaped) which =
is=20
bitter. And I suspect that by now there have been many crosses and back =
crosses;=20
just a guess.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I tried cooking what I thought to be Highbush=20
Cranberries ~1947 from the edge of the Cornwallis Meadow at Cambridge, =
having=20
read something about the berries being good for jelly, and they tasted =
like puke=20
so I&nbsp;suppose they were Opulus L. or a hybrid.&nbsp;I have never =
looked for=20
intermediate plants.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In any case, my experience with wild food plants =
is that=20
they&nbsp;can be&nbsp;extremely variable with regard to=20
palatability.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Yt, DW, Kentville&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Djimwolford@eastlink.ca =
href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">Jim=20
  Wolford</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, February 01, 2016 =
5:45=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] re =
high-bush=20
  cranberries &amp; cedar waxwings and creepers</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>Very interesting, Donna, thanks, but a bit puzzling to =
this=20
  naturalist. &nbsp;In the Wolfville area, high-bush cranberries often =
last for=20
  most or all of the winter, providing some nice colour against the =
snowy=20
  landscape. &nbsp;My impression has been that they are somehow less =
palatable=20
  than the other wild fruits like mountain-ash or hawthorns or others.=20
  &nbsp;