Country diary: birds cherrypick their share of fruit

St Dominic, Tamar Valley: This year's exceptional cherry harvest has seen our feathered friends gorge on maturing fruitAbundant fruit reflects the sun as we pick cherries in the cool of evening. The spreading trees in James and Mary's orchard of traditional varieties provide oases of shade among dried-up grasses and help protect the shallow roots from drought; despite the hot weather, rustling leaves remain fresh and bright green. A few weeks ago, pigeons and jackdaws flocked here to gorge on maturing fruit, breaking off new shoots and littering the ground with wizened stones. Since these birds left for alternative venues and feasts of ripening grain, the remaining fruit has become plump and juicy, tasting sweet and slightly tart, as delicious as that of ancestor trees. These were common in the valley's widespread orchards during the 18th and 19th centuries, with only a few surviving until the 1980s. Continue reading...