Just a couple of weeks ago the beautyberry bushes were covered in plenty of little green berries. A few were just beginning to get their lovely pink color. I thought to myself, “the grey catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) will be back soon”. Sure enough, as the berries continued to ripen, the birds began to show up. After their long flight down from their northern breeding grounds, they are hungry and energy depleted, so it’s not a coincidence that they arrive just as the berries start to ripen. Not only do they like beautyberries, but they also like the purple pokeberries and our abundance of insects. After filling up, some of the catbirds will continue further south, but there are always quite a few who stay right here.