{"id":115536,"date":"2023-08-31T04:59:30","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T10:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=115536"},"modified":"2023-09-06T04:54:18","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T10:54:18","slug":"blue-elderberry-leave-food-for-wildlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/31\/blue-elderberry-leave-food-for-wildlife\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Elderberry – Leave Food for Wildlife"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I photographed these ripening Blue Elderberry berries a few days ago, I was reminded of something I saw last year related to the elderberries I observe in the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n

\"RipeningRipening Blue Elderberry berries<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year we were in a mega drought, and many of the shrubs that produce berries, including Blue Elderberries, weren’t producing as much fruit as they typically do. The elderberries did seem to be doing slightly better than the serviceberries, hawthorns, and chokecherries.<\/p>\n

I was hopeful that the elderberries would help the wildlife that eats the berries of these shrubs to help them survive.<\/p>\n

But one morning while I was up in the mountains I saw a woman cutting clumps of all of the ripe berries on several elderberry shrubs. When I say “all” I mean all. As I drove the road I looked carefully at every elderberry shrub that was close to the road and I could see that all those berries had been taken as well. I don’t know if the woman was taking the berries for her own personal use or if she was taking them to make a product for sale.<\/p>\n

I am aware that people use elderberries to create syrups, wine, juices, jelly, jams, teas, and pies.<\/p>\n

I deeply wish that the woman I observed had left some elderberries for the birds and wildlife, because some birds and wildlife depend on them for their survival.<\/p>\n

I’m seeing lots of ripening berries on the Blue Elderberry<\/span><\/a> shrubs in the mountains this summer. I just hope they aren’t all cut off of the shrubs like they were last year.<\/p>\n

Birds and animals are still struggling to survive even though we have gotten more moisture in northern Utah than we have had in a long time.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good, it is even better when we leave food for wildlife.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my flower, shrub and tree photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I photographed these ripening Blue Elderberry berries a few days ago, I was reminded of something I saw last year related to the elderberries I observe in the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":115533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12009,1731,26,773],"tags":[6605,6666,6677,3940,4142,5889,10132,6583,4069,7671,6678,14302,6188,2315],"class_list":["post-115536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blue-elderberry","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-berries","tag-berry","tag-blue-elderberry","tag-canyon","tag-close-up","tag-flowering-shrub","tag-fruiting-shrub","tag-leaves","tag-mountains","tag-ripening","tag-sambucus-cerulea","tag-sambucus-nigra-ssp-cerulea","tag-shrub","tag-summer-3"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-8994.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-u3u","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":92322,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/17\/blooming-blue-elderberry\/","url_meta":{"origin":115536,"position":0},"title":"Blooming Blue Elderberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 17, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Blue Elderberry shrubs are blooming right now high in the Wasatch Mountains. Two days ago I took a few photos of the elderberry blossoms.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blue Elderberry blossoms, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53318,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/01\/blue-elderberry-native-food-source-for-birds-wildlife-and-people-too\/","url_meta":{"origin":115536,"position":1},"title":"Blue Elderberry – Native Food Source For Birds, Wildlife And People Too","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Another non-bird post this morning about Blue Elderberry shrubs which are a native food source for birds, wildlife and people too. I've photograph this particular Blue Elderberry up in a Wasatch Mountain canyon for several years.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clump of Blue Elderberry berries, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-9529.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-9529.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-9529.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-9529.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148912,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/06\/18\/american-black-elderberry-in-bloom-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":115536,"position":2},"title":"American Black Elderberry In Bloom At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I\u2019m sharing two photos of blooming American Black Elderberry that I took last week at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In "American Black Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"American Black Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/american-black-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Black Elderberry in bloom at Sequoyah NWR, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":71788,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/10\/yellow-warbler-fledglings-everywhere\/","url_meta":{"origin":115536,"position":3},"title":"Yellow Warbler Fledglings Everywhere","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"There were several Yellow Warbler fledglings in this shrub and the adults were running themselves ragged trying to keep them all fed.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow Warbler fledgling in a Blue Elderberry bush, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104304,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/16\/early-july-wildflowers-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":115536,"position":4},"title":"Early July Wildflowers In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I wanted to share some of the wildflowers I photographed in the first part of July that I have found in Summit and Morgan Counties high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flowering Parsnipflower Buckwheat, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":76234,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/12\/19\/colors-of-nature-juvenile-yellow-warblers\/","url_meta":{"origin":115536,"position":5},"title":"Colors Of Nature – Juvenile Yellow Warblers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It tickles me that Pantone\u00ae picked these colors this year and once again I am reminded how the colors we see in nature brighten and add inspiration to our lives.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow Warbler juvenile calling from a Blue Elderberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}