More beauty

Ocotillo Flowers, April 2010, Photo by Matt

Cattails, June 2010, Photo by Matt

Sunflower

Photo by Ellen Green

Red birds OR How to tell your 'cardinals' apart

Northern Cardinal - male (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Pyrrhuloxia - female (Cardinalis sinuatis)

The Northern Cardinal male is clearly brighter in color than the Pyrrhuloxia (say: 'peer uh LOX eee uh') of both sexes. The 'trick' is telling a female Northern Cardinal (much grayer/browner/duller than the male) from a Pyrrhuloxia of either sex. For identification on the fly (pun intended), look to the beak. Both species have short, solid, seed-cracking beaks; but Northern Cardinals have beaks of red/orange; and Phyrrhuloxia beaks are yellowish at their brightest (in the male, usually). All photos from Red, er, Ned Harris.

More color

Clouds make for great sunsets!

Fall color

From the Bluff trail, photo by Ned Harris

This might not be as dramatic as fall color in, say, New Hampshire, but the science is the same. The process in a nutshell here. Get out there and enjoy it!

Don't kiss under this mistletoe!

Mistletoe berries, Photo by Matt

Phainopepla (female) with dangling deposit
Photo by Bob Wenrick, 12/1/10

Mistletoe reproduction for kids of all ages: Berries are fruits. Fruits are one way for seeds to 'get around' (i.e., for plants to make more of themselves). Phainopeplas are animals (specifically, birds). Phainopeplas love to eat mistletoe berries. Every animal poops. (Check mesquites for more evidence.)

Deck the halls with puffballs

Photo by and quarter from Ned Harris, 12/1/10

There are a number of these puffballs in the riparian area above the dam, especially around the hummingbird tree (where the 2nd AZ Walnut is located). This one looks like a 'mature' (i.e., full of spores) puffball. If you step on it, a yellowish cloud will explode from within and there will eventually be more fungus among us. According to the mushroom expert, some puffball species can grow to be truly humongous fungus. Some species are edible, some are deadly. Just say 'no' to any chocolate-covered ones. Happy December!