White spruce branches are heavy with cones wherever I look: in the yard, near Rainbow Haven Beach and along the Salt Marsh Trail. It looks like a bumper crop year. The squirrels and birds must be happy.
If a plant is under stress from the weather one year, it will produce more seed the following year. The year after Hurricane Juan hit Nova Scotia was also a bumper crop year. Wind certainly helps with pollination.
Although it’s not yet understood how they do it, it’s believed that some bird species, such as finches, can locate a bumper crop of cones from half a continent away. Their ability to do this might have something to do with their highly developed sensory and nervous systems.
Balsam fir cones can also be found on the ground in the yard. There are more of these trees than any other here. The majority of them grew up shortly after Hurricane Juan took down the larger trees in 2003, allowing more light and rain to reach the seeds on the bottom of the forest floor.
While walking along the Salt Marsh Trail, it’s difficult to not take it personally when squirrels are throwing cones down from the top of trees. In their quest for the perfect cone, flawed ones fall to the ground. Perhaps this bumper crop is an indicator that I won’t have to put out as many sunflower seeds this winter. There seem to be enough cones out there to feed an army of Red Squirrels.
Wow! Is that tree loaded! When my son first transferred to a college downstate (couldn’t take living in the city and moved back after a year and a half!) he was astounded by the squirrels and how brazen they were – threw stuff, chattered at him, chased him….we started calling them “urban squirrels” and he never did make peace with them on his walk to school!?!
It sure is loaded Cindy. I wonder how the branch can handle all that weight. That is funny about the ‘urban squirrels.’ For such small creatures, they certainly are bold. I’ve been bitten by them a couple of times. They’re unpredictable too.
Life will find a way, won’t it! I enjoy your squirrels. I don’t see so many, although they’re about. My city yard was full of them, and they were quite entertaining.
Gerry, it probably depends on the type of food available in your yard. I see them more often in the winter when I put out sunflower seeds. Their antics are quite entertaining.
You’re right that life will find a way. Against all odds, it seems to manage.
Amazing cones – I’ve not noticed a bumper crop of them here, but then we’ve not had stress on the trees either. Interesting fact about the birds locating the extra crop of cones.
JoAnn, though their number is amazing they are so small compared to the beautiful large cones in your west coast neck of the woods.
What an incredible crop of fir cones! I have never seen a fir tree so fruitful – although there does seem to be a good harvest of fruits like blackberries, rose hips, haws, and sloes here in Dorset. We picked lots of blackberries yesterday.
Jessica, I find it amazing how so many of us can live so far apart and still engage in blackberry picking at a similar time of year.
my dad always told me that lots of cones on the trees means that we will have a hard winter … i’m hoping that’s not true.
Michelle, I haven’t heard that one before but it makes sense. I have heard that if beehives are especially large that there will be lots of snow in the winter ahead.
I wonder if the next population to explode will be the squirrels. More food = more squirrels?
Dawn, I was wondering about that too
Look at those pine cones! Amazing! I’ve always wondered why some years they’re loaded and other years sparse.
Kathy, I don’t know if these are the only reasons why, but they’re a start.
Those cones make a pretty picture. I’ve never seen so many! As always, interesting info too.
Thanks millhill. I’ve never seen so many either. It makes me wonder what’s ahead.