Haws

Look out for haws, the red berries of the whitethorn loved by birds, such as fieldfare, thrush and migrating redwing, as well as small mammals. In folklore, whitethorn was associated with magic and to interfere with lone fairy thorn trees or trees growing on ringforts or other archaeological features was very unlucky. Boughs laden with haws are found on whitethorn allowed grow up into mature trees, whether in lines of whitethorn trees in treeline hedges or on occasional individual whitethorn trees growing in topped hedges. Having treeline or escaped hedges with mature whitethorn trees and retaining individual thorn trees within topped hedges are both essential for our native Irish biodiversity.