Archive for the ‘Mistletoe’ Tag

A Flycatcher That Prefers Mistletoe Berries   Leave a comment

Female Phainopepla-1333 blogFemale Phainopepla — Photo-Artistry by kenne

There She Was

There she was,
Gazing at me
Wondering why
I look so funny.

There she was,
On her perch
An ocotillo branch
Sharing the gray.

There she was
A little red
In her eye
Continuing to gaze.

There she was
As I wonder why
The ocotillo
Not mesquite.

There she was
Flycatcher by name
Preferring the berries
Of desert mistletoe.

There she was
Not gazing at me
Turning her eye
To mistletoe berries.

There she was
In the desert winter
No insects
For this flycatcher.

There she was
Where there are
Berries abundant
For a misnamed bird.

There she was
Until the days
Grew hot
In the desert sun.

Now she’s gone
To the mountains
In search of a
New berry source.

— kenne

Northern Mockingbird   Leave a comment

mockingbird-0288-blog

mockingbird-0289-blogNorthern mockingbirds feed primarily on desert mistletoe berries during the Sonoran desert winter.
— Images by kenne

Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths.

— Joseph Campbell

Capturing The Moment — A Flycatcher That Prefers Berries   6 comments

Female Phainopepla-1333 blogFemale Phainopepla — Image by kenne

There She Was

There she was,
Gazing at me
Wondering why
I look so funny.

There she was,
On her perch
An ocotillo branch
Sharing the gray.

There she was
A little red
In her eye
Continuing to gaze.

There she was
As I wonder why
The ocotillo
Not mesquite.

There she was
Flycatcher by name
Preferring the berries
Of desert mistletoe.

There she was
Not gazing at me
Turning her eye
To mistletoe berries.

There she was
In the desert winter
No insects
For this flycatcher.

There she was
Where there are
Berries abundant
For a misnamed bird.

There she was
Until the days
Grew hot
In the desert sun.

Now she’s gone
To the mountains
In search of a
New berry source.

— kenne

Capturing The Moment — Sabino Canyon Snowbird Part II   Leave a comment

Ned's Nature Walk -- 01-1-09-13Female Phainopepla High In A Mesquite Tree — Image by kenne

The phainopepla’s main food while wintering in the Tucson basin are desert mistletoe berries.

When eaten, the hard seeds are then passed through while the phainopepla is perched on their favorite tree branch,

often in a mesquite tree.

Ned's Nature Walk -- 01-1-09-13Female Plainopela In A Tree with Desert Mistletoe — Image by kenne

The seeds are left on the branch where they can germinate and set up a root system within the host plant.

kenne