In the winter months fruit-eating birds often find their food sources depleted. So in the autumn we picked some Mountain Ash berries and stashed them away in the freezer. We were delighted to see numerous birds drop by for a tasty snack and provide us with some great photo opportunities.

The berries were hung from a twig attached to a trellis which made a good spot for the birds to perch. Here a Dark-eyed Junco thinks about having a snack.		A Golden-crowned Sparrow also finds the berries to be quite appealing.
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American Robins love these berries and it didn't take one of them too long to discover them.		A beautiful Spotted Towhee reaches up from the deck rail to nibble on the berries which are hung from the bare twigs of a honeysuckle.
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A Hermit Thrush managed to get a taste of the berries before they were all gone.		A Dark-eyed Junco shows how well it can stretch to grab a berry.
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After a windy storm left numerous twigs and branches scattered on the forest floor it seemed like a good idea to take one and build a natural-looking perch.		A Hermit Thrush uses the twig as it perches next to the berries.
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This Hermit Thrush shows its persistence and determination to get a berry or two.		Here the Hermit Thrush proudly shows off its prized snack before gulping it down.
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Using different twigs attached to different spots allows us to get a variety of photos. This lichen-covered twig is ready for a visitor.		The American Robin drops by once again. It just can't resist these berries!
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This Hermit Thrush is resting on the perch. By zooming in or cropping the photo the inviting berries are removed giving us a great photograph.		Some different lichens on the twig provide yet another great scene for a photograph. This is a Lungwort Lichen, Lobaria pulmonaria.
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Some birds like this Red-breasted Nuthatch don't really care for the berries, but take advantage of the twigs and rest for a moment. Luckily we were ready with the camera!		The Hermit Thrush grabs a berry but before heading off it pauses for a moment on the twig.
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The brown colours of the Hermit Thrush contrast nicely with the green lichens and its hard to resist taking a few pictures.		The American Robin is a frequent visitor and seems to know it's being photographed and poses just perfectly.
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