The Catbirds Will Be Surprised

Each year, and not long after the Gray Catbirds arrive for the summer, our Leatherleaf Mahonia bushes are in full fruit.  And the Catbirds (and their allies) ravenously consume said fruit.  This year things promise to be a little different.  The fruit are already here and ripening fast.  In fact we started getting slowers in late January(!)  The warm(-ish) winter motivated many plants here to start early and the Mahonia have been spectacularly early.  We should be seeing fruit in May.  Oh well.  The robins, cardinals, and mockingbirds should be happy as they will get the fruit.  The catbirds will arrive to find...nothing.  Except suet, perhaps.  Such is the luck of the draw in a Carolina spring!