Blue Birds on My Cherry Tree

Birds have never seemed interesting to me. I have often seen them in the summer, picking at my green grass, maybe for worms. Also these birds have most always been a dark color, maybe gray or black. I have never seen many birds on my cherry tree, until a few days ago. It was around two in the afternoon; it was quiet as always. The quiet didn't last long because I heard a couple birds, almost as if arguing, branched on the highest branches of the tree. As soon I heard them I got my phone out and recorded them.The birds were blue and white ( not sure what kind they were and didn't find the name online .) This is what they sounded like: http://youtu.be/9DIa2BmcgOU
                             " The birds communication sounded irritated. " Field Notes 10/23

Here is the picture of one of the birds.
picture taken by me
10/23


Once the birds kept up with their communication, I began to get annoyed. They wouldn't stop at one point and at another point they were quiet for a few seconds,waiting. Although, as the birds kept whining at each other, I wondered what they were saying to each other. Just like dogs, cats and many other animals that are able to speak, they have to be saying something. It would be amazing if we could understand what they all say, but then again it would be so different. Maybe at least they would have rights, instead of always being killed without justification. Or animals would be able to speak up on what us humans are doing wrong, like how to stop the extinction of animals. The list could go on, but I don't think that we will be able to understand animals anytime soon.

As I started thinking about what the blue birds could be saying, I did a little research on this. Based on the web article "Bird Communication: An Introduction" birds are saying a few things. It explains that birds can be marking their territory, seeking mates, looking for food, scaring off an intruder, warning other birds of a near predator,etc. It became interesting to me that some birds don't just communicate with chirps or squawking, but also by beating their wings. Also on the way their feathers are appealed. Of course this could be on certain birds only, yet it is still fascinating.  By watching birds closer, the communication of birds to other birds of their own species and birds that are another species, will become clearer.

I wonder if all kinds of birds like specific trees? Do these birds like my tree? I will most certainly keep an eye out for them.

Works Cited 

Tkaczyk, Filip. "Bird Communication: An Introduction." Alderleaf Wilderness College. Alderleaf Wilderness College, n.d. Web. 26 Oct 2014

Cherries

I love cherries! But the cherries that my tree has grown each summer are different: mostly in color. My cherries are closer to a black and purple than a bright or dark red. My sister has tried them before and she describes the taste as plain with a hint of sour. Although I've never tried them they are a lot different than the cherries you buy at the grocery store. Of course they are grown from another type of cherry tree.

From the very first day I started observing my cherry tree, I searched for cherries. I took a good look at all the branches I was able to reach, but I never found one cherry. The highest branches looked the same, too, having nothing but red and green leaves. The cherries must have gone somewhere as the cold weather had been approaching. So I looked further away from the tree, near the small bushes and the bricks that lay close by. These are some cherries that I found:

dried up cherries on bricks
10/15
picture taken by Me 

I don't know how I missed them the first day but dried up cherries lay on the bricks, rocks, and under the bushes. I wonder how long have they been here? Wouldn't other animals have eaten them? Or were they just not edible anymore ? Can they be poisonous to some animals?

I did research on what the Schubert Chokecherry tree cherries are used for nearby. According to this website, (http://plants.classiclandscapes.com/11050016/Plant/11143/Midnight_Schubert_Chokecherry), they are often used to make jams and jellies and even wine. This information got me thinking that one day I would like to try a jam or jelly made out of these specific cherries. I have already enjoyed watching and realizing how my beautiful my cherry tree is. Now I want to know what the taste of cherry jam is, specifically from the kind of cherries I have. However I'll  have to wait till summer time for the cherries to become ripe, I am planning to pick them and make some jam.

I wonder how many different types of cherry trees there are in the world?

A Different Point of View

As the days pass by my cherry tree always has something that impresses me. The tree stands with low branches stretching out to the sky sideways. This is how I have become aware of tiny spiderwebs sitting on the corners where some branches meet. I find this very interesting because I have never thought of spiders living on trees. I can only imagine them on corners inside houses. Capturing a picture of them wasn't easy, but I would have thought that these spiderwebs would be a little bigger? I have yet to see any spiders but because it is fall, spiders might be starting to move into places where it is warmer (like the inside of houses).  I wonder if these spiders ever caught any insects that have chewed holes on the leaves ? How long will these spiderwebs stay in place ?


Not only have I found little spiderwbs, but also the leaves of my tree have become a variety of colors. I think its because of the weather and how fall is already here. The colors vary from red to orange with brown, and others still green. From a point of view away from the tree the leaves are just the dark maroon, but it's all about perspective. From a point of view from under the tree it looks like this:

point of view from underneath
"The leaves look so beautiful combined with all the different colors."
Field Notes 10/10

 point of view at a distance

both pictures taken by me (: 10/10

This reminds me of the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." The trees leaves are slowing falling and changing, making the tree look dead and not as interesting as it is in the summer. We tend to look at something from a perspective and not be intrigued to it. This could be anything a person or an object. I think people look at all trees as just trees and take them for granted. Trees can be thought of as an obstacle for buildings or just a waste of space. Trees are helping us breath , but that doesn't matter to most people beacuse it isn't the first characteristic that comes to mind. I wish people could see how beautiful trees really are. Trees are all unique within themselves just like my cherry tree. Not only are the leaves beautiful, the tree itself is special. It looks so much different from a view underneath it and I'm glad I had a chance to see it this way.

I have learned to look at many things in a different perspective now. I thought that perspective only mattered in a couple of things, but not anymore.

My Cherry Trees Name is....

So for the past couple days, I've been focusing on the leaves of my cherry tree. Each day I kept finding leaves that had various holes of different sizes. Therefore I did research on what insects could be eating the leaves. As I was researching, the name Schubert Chokecherry popped up. This is the name of my tree to my surprise. Now that I knew what type of cherry tree I have, I found out the insects that could be eating the leaves.

Based on the website  http://www.prairie-elements.ca/chokecherry.html  there is a variety of insects that could be eating the leaves :beetles, sucking insects, moth caterpillars, and sawflies.
When I first notice the holes on the leaves, I did think about caterpillars. It reminded me of elementary school, when the class had a set of caterpillars growing into butterflies. The thing is I haven't seen any caterpillars or insects on the tree. There is a couple of small spider webs but no spiders either.

This could be because it is fall but the weather is still nice so I'm assuming there are a couple of insects left. Sadly each day that I observe my tree there is no sign of insects.

I wonder if the insects like to eat the cherries during the summer ,too ? Could these cherries be edible to these insects? Are they edible to humans ?

Here is a picture of one of the many leaves with holes:

" Some of the leaves are ripped, then others have small holes on them. I think of caterpillars eating green leaves during the summer. " Field notes 9/30