There is a very healthy growth of Misletoe (Viscum album) on the bough of next door's apple tree. A decade ago it was a small sprig and it has increased year by year.
 V. album is an obligate hemiparasite i.e. it lives off the host though it also photosynthesises. Birds eat the berries but cannot digest the sticky seeds which they excrete and/or wipe off on branches. The softish bark of apple trees is a receptive surface; orchards of old were known for their Mistletoe.

 Speaking of berries I see this one is coming into flower. Either I have failed to notice this in the past or perhaps it is reaching some kind of maturity? Certainly it has borne no berries but V. album is dioecious. The plants are either 'male' or 'female' and pollinators must travel between plants of both 'sexes' for pollination to occur (as opposed to plants that are monoecious with both 'male' and 'female' flowers on the same plant).
 The bud shown here is in the process of forming and to be honest I'm not sure whether it's going to be a boy or a girl! Will follow up on this, happy to be given the word by any eagle-eyed botanist reading this entry.