Category Archives: Berries
Act I of Autumn
A vigorous belt of chilly rain passed over Sewanee this morning. In its wake, a Canada Warbler feeding on the shrubs in our garden. This is a bird of the boreal forest, found here only during migration. Cool rain, falling … Continue reading
Posted in Archosaurs, Berries, Shakerag Hollow
Tagged migrant birds, shakerag hollow, spicebush
8 Comments
Deck the… lab walls
My colleague, Jon Evans, asks students in his Plant Systematics and Evolution class to produce a holiday wreath at the end of the semester. Their challenge: to build an attractive wreath using as many plant species as possible. Sewanee’s 13,000 … Continue reading
Posted in Berries, Moss, Plants
2 Comments
Mistletoe
A single mistletoe plant is growing near the top of an ash tree behind Shenanigans and Woody’s Bikes. Mistletoe is not common in Sewanee, although it can be quite abundant on the lower slopes of the coves. Recently, biologists have … Continue reading
Posted in Berries, Caterpillars, Fruits, Plants, Trees
2 Comments
A tangle
Our two most vigorous invasive plant species, privet and oriental bittersweet, are wrapped into each other at Lake Cheston. A moment’s reflection from the perspective of a hungry bird hints at how these species manage to spread so successfully. Unfortunately, … Continue reading
Posted in Berries
4 Comments
Migrant thrush
Despite the best efforts of our resident mockingbird, the beautyberry shrubs are still loaded with fruit. Today, two Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) found the bounty and have been feasting ever since. They can swallow a dozen fruits per minute. Swainson’s … Continue reading
Posted in Archosaurs, Berries, Fruits, Garden
4 Comments
Spicebush berries
Berries on spicebush plants are now fully mature. Migrating birds love them, as do bears and other woodland animals. The berries are fairly fatty so they help animals to stock up on energy for either migration or hibernation. The spicebush … Continue reading
Posted in Archosaurs, Berries
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