Silver Birch reproduction!

Silver Birch trees are monoecious, that is they carry both male and female reproductive parts. The 'male' catkins are long and droopy like the familiar 'Lamb's tails we see each January on the Hazel trees. and can be seen here on the left hand side of the picture. The female catkins are much smaller and more upright in nature and arise out of the same bud as the emergent leaves. They start off green, but turn bright crimson once fertilised.
My tree is covered in male catkins this year - my neighbour is not going to be happy!