Original post in early April (recovered via Google)was :"More berries mean a
hard winter - old wives tale?"Hi,

there is a theory that extra berries on the shrubs means a hard winter and
nature is taking care of all the birds etc.

This sounds doubtful if subjected to logical analysis anyway - my 2p theory
is that more berries means a good summer, and good summers (lots of high
pressure and clear skies) are often followed by hard winters (lots of high
pressure and clear skies).

Be that as it may:

we had loads of berries on the shrubs last year - after a wonderful summer.

There are still loads of berries on the shrub by our steps (cotoneaster
springs to mind, but that may be the other one).
I need to prune this back because it is invading the area of the steps and I
do like to go down into the garden :-)
However it is still loaded with red berries, and pruning back will invlove
throwing away most of these berries.

So; are the birds still dependant on last years berries, or will this years
growth be feeding them? I know the pigeons are doing well off the buds on
our plum trees.

As a first stage I have cleared the top layer of growth, exposing the
berries underneath.
I will watch for a bit in case the birds start stripping these, but I
suspect that nature has over provided in this case.

Obviously I don't want to remove a valuable resource for the wild life, but
how long do they depend on last years berries?

TIA
Dave R
--UPDATE:
----------
Now at the time no birds appeared to be eating the berries, and there is now
loads of food about so I have finally hacked back the shrub and
rediscvovered our steps down from the patio.
However earlier today I was in the garden and heard the 'tchick tchik tchik'
call of a Blackbird.
I looked carefully, and there was a female blackbird in the remains of the
shrub, 'tchick'ing away and swallowing red berries as fast as she could go.
So apparently last year's red berries are just coming into season for
Blackbirds the following May/June!

Fortunately there are a few meals left, and the annual weeding of the
shrubbery is also providing feeding opportunities for the local bird life.

Cheers
Dave R
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