During autumn the wildlife around us is very busy. On the ground hedgehogs are fattening up before hibernation. In the skies swallows are eating as many insects as they can before starting their long journey to South Africa. Whilst in the trees squirrels are gathering and storing as many nuts as they can.
And they are not alone. As last weekend RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes had several human visitors’ busy picking blackberries. The reserve is fortunate to have wonderful walkways and paths beside hedges, many of which are currently teaming with blackberries.
Image credit: Mike Lane (rspb-images.com)
It appears that humans have been picking and eating blackberries for thousands of years. According to Wikipedia there is evidence ‘...from the Iron Age Haraldskaer Woman that she consumed blackberries some 2500 years ago,...’. Blackberries are bursting with vitamin C and are great eaten raw (straight from the hedge) or equally delicious in pies, crumbles, and other puddings. These recipes provide just a few ideas!
It’s not just humans that benefit from blackberries. During winter when there are few insects about, and the ground is frozen too hard to hunt for snails and worms, berries provide an important food source for birds. Without berries, many birds could not survive winter.
It appears that our gathering habits are also similar. Whilst some people like to gather socially in groups, others have favoured bushes they return to year after year. Birds are similar, as this link shows. Redwings and starlings happily feed in flocks. Others, like the mistle thrush, may try to keep a valuable, berry-laden bush just for itself.
For me, blackberry and apple crumble is one of autumn’s best puddings. It’s hard not to look at the laden brambles, and not imagine the delicious puddings they could be made into. RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes is almost a larder of blackberries, sloes and elderberries at the moment, a vital food source providing a home for nature, and a fantastic treat for us.