Tomorrow is World Environment Day. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate our national parks. The National Parks Conservation Association is encouraging people to make our national parks a national priority. Join them by sending a social media post today: http://thndr.it/1PEF5tm

Cedar waxwing photographed by Alice Leurck.

This week Don Torino writes about the joys of Shadblow Serviceberry – the graceful native tree whose delicious blueberry-like fruits are eagerly anticipated by birds this time of year. The fruits are sometimes called Juneberries and if you want to get a taste, you’d better keep your eyes open because the cedar waxwings are likely to beat you to it.

See Don’s column for Wild New Jersey here.

The fruit is ripe when it’s dark purple – but the birds don’t usually wait that long.