Ivy on the walls, Monzie

Image: © Maigheach-gheal Taken: 16 Apr 2011

The walls of the derelict building are covered in ivy. Ivy is an excellent winter food source for birds. The ivy blooms near the end of the year, usually around November. Although its flowers are small and inconspicuous, they attract many late-flying insects. These provide tasty nibbles for birds such as the wren, dunnock, robin and blue-tit. Later on, when the ivy berries turn black, they will be gobbled up by the blackbirds and wood-pigeons. Winter visitors such as redwings and fieldfares will also benefit from this late feast, especially if it has been a hard winter. Common Ivy was used by mediaeval herbalists to treat the bloody flux. Today, its modern use is not recommended internally as it can cause the destruction of red blood cells. The leaves however, are used by master herbalists as poultices for boils and abscesses.

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