Just hanging around

Well, if I knew what they were, maybe I could comment further. Any botonists/naturalists out there care to enlighten me?
Anyway, long story short, this was the last shot of my daily walkies with Newbald dogs - Buddy & Crumble, like the cats, you'll no doubt see more of them later!
Are they dead, what-ever they are, are they waiting to "Spring" back to life when the weather improves? Or are they dead and gone but just clinging to the tree to admire the view until they finally succumb to what naturally comes to us all? It would be nice to know - so please tell, do!
I should know more about trees and the like, being an orienteer and all, but I don't, let's just leave it at that!!