Mockingbird Hiding in Desert Hackberry
by Judy Kennedy
Title
Mockingbird Hiding in Desert Hackberry
Artist
Judy Kennedy
Medium
Photograph
Description
The Sonoran Desert of Arizona is full of Hackberry bushes and trees. Several grow on my property, most of them female. The females usually stay shrub-like and produce delicious red berries eaten by animals and humans alike. The less common male Hackberries get huge and tree-like resulting in a dense, thorny fortress so thick that you can’t even see through to the other side. Therefore, these trees provide prime habitat for all kinds of creatures and birds. I’ve counted over 20 nests in this one tree all active at one time or another. A beautiful Northern Mockingbird (Mimidae polyglottos) uses the top branches as her stage for giving the most glorious concerts. Her cousin, the Curve-billed Thrasher — is stiff competition, but he prefers mixing with the audience on the ground mostly. Anyway, when this Mockingbird sees me pointing the camera in her direction, she slips down a branch or two using the shade to hide. That maneuver didn’t work this time though because early morning sunlight was still shining directly into the tree. Of course I have no idea whether this Mockingbird is male or female. But in my drama, this little diva would have to be a “she"!
Uploaded
May 24th, 2019
Statistics
Viewed 2,504 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/19/2024 at 4:34 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet