Down a few blocks from here, all the street trees have these red berries

[conuly]

I thought they were rowans, but looking at pictures of rowans I think I was wrong. The NYC street tree map says they're a type of hawthorn, but actually, when I look at pictures of cockspur hawthorn I'm not that sure about that either.

So I still don't know what they are, but what I do know is that those berries against a clear blue sky are the best thing you'll see in the fall. Leaves? Meh.

Also, one of the houses there just today suddenly has a dozen chickens. I was walking the dogs, and out of nowhere there was a cluck cluck here, and a cluck cluck there and then - chickens! Chickens everywhere!

Comments

[tielan]

LOL unexpected chickens!

[hashiveinu]

Chickens! They're delightful creatures.

[bibliofile]

Want to post a photo? I bet people would have suggestions/further info.

I love the sudden chickens everywhere. You don't get that very often in the city.

[conuly]

There's actually another family a few houses down that also has chickens.

At least they aren't turkeys. Moonpie thinks she can fight a turkey. She is sorely mistaken.

[adafrog]

:)

[bibliofile]

Ah, but do turkeys have Moonpie's talking game? I bet not. With fences up, that's what matters, innit?

[ozma914]

So, why did the chicken cross the road--to get to the berries?

[hudebnik]

There's a house two blocks from here with a large holly tree in the front yard, which is above the sidewalk so you find yourself looking up at it silhouetted against the sky. And when it fills up with red berries, it also fills up with birds (mostly sparrows and some starlings), so although you can't see any of them through the leaves, the whole tree is chirping.

[conuly]

It'd have to be a pretty high fence - turkeys can fly. (For that matter, Moonpie can climb chain link, though she doesn't like to and I've never seen her attempt anything taller than a baby gate.)

[agoodwinsmith]

Maybe a Mountain Ash? Mine hangs onto its berries until eaten by birds. One year a solitary (North American) robin defended my tree against all comers all winter. Then, in the spring, a crowd of robins came back and they stripped the tree bare in an hour. Usually cedar waxwings get to it sooner.

[gwydion]

I don't miss a lot about the east coast, but that is one of the things.

[conuly]

They really are an amazing sight.