Our favorite holly tree is about 25 feet from the front porch. Itâs not the biggest we have, but in season it is laden with red berries that make it a bright, showy addition to the landscape. Birds and a couple of critters love it. The berries adorn the holly for months, but when spring begins to rouse itself from a long winter sleep, the berries disappear quickly. The two critters â gray squirrels â begin to nibble on the berries toward the end of February. I suppose theyâve always eaten holly berries, but they made their way to the prettiest holly only a couple of years ago.