Once Upon A Cherry Tree

Shortly after buying our house back in February, I was chatting with one of the old owners. We were discussing the yards and the landscape and the abundance of fruit trees and bushes. That's when we learned that one of the fruit trees was a cherry tree. It's located in one of our backyards. The small one. Rather close to our screened-in back porch. As in less than 2 feet away. It is taller than our house and quite large.

During our discussion, I asked if the cherries were edible. Yes. But. The squirrels and birds got to the cherries before they were big and ripe enough to harvest. 

We are not familiar with cherry trees or other fruit trees. Lisa and I decided to spend this year learning about them and observing all of the plants, flowers, fruit trees, and fruit bushes that are in our yards. We wanted to let everything go through the Spring and Summer cycle.

Because the cherry tree is almost right up against our screened-in back porch, we got to see the cherry blossom flowers and the hundreds of bees who took advantage of them. For an entire week, when we sat on the back porch, there was a constant sound of buzzing bees. 

Then, when the petals fell off, the tiny green cherries formed. 

A few weeks ago, the cherries began turning a gorgeous yellowy, orangey, reddish color. 

The squirrels began sitting on the limbs and munching on the cherries they had grabbed. The birds joined them. Finches. Blue Jays. Cat Birds. Cardinals. Etc...

Then...

We noticed a bird we had never seen before. Keep in mind that at our old home, for almost 8 years, we always had a buffet o' bird feeders out on the front lawn. We had a large variety of birds, but not these. A few weeks after we moved into our house, we put out the same buffet of bird feeders. But, suddenly, we had a new species.

Lisa and I tried to figure out what kind of bird this was. 

We saw them in our cherry tree. Not just one or two, but at least a dozen at a time.

I finally posted a picture online. 

It didn't take long for the mystery to be solved. 

Cedar Waxwings. 

They're absolutely gorgeous and unique. 

However.

Now that 99% of the cherries have been eaten, we've only seen a couple here and there.

I'm guessing once the cherry tree is completely wiped out, they will move on. 

After much discussion, Lisa and I have decided to hire someone to trim our cherry tree in the Fall. IT has nothing to do with us not being able to harvest cherries. 

The cherry tree is too close to our house. It hangs above our house. And, it hangs over our neighbor's lawn. 

We won't take it down completely. We hung a birdhouse on it and it is occupied by a Tufted Titmouse couple with babies. That portion will stay with a few branches. 

We love our birds and wildlife. 

And, our landscaping efforts are cautious of that. 

We completely embrace coexisting. 

That won't ever change.