The local Philippines call this woody vine “tayabak”. Related to the green beans we grow in our gardens, this species’ unique turquoise claw-shaped flowers are pollinated by bats.
This humble plant is easily overlooked, both in its quiet early blooming and later leaf unfurling. You can find it in wetlands and riverine forests in the NE quarter of the US, up into Canada.
Only found from Central Texas down into Mexico, this titmouse with a striking black crest acts quite a bit like its more familiar, look-alike cousin
Known in some areas as a pest, the “rice bird” who feeds on rice and grains especially during migration, this New World Blackbird has unique coloration featuring a male with high-contrast white and cream on black.
A low-growing “trefoil” weed of lawns and disturbed, nitrogen-poor soil, distinguished by its tiny hop-like yellow flower clusters, pointed tips on each leaflet, and the terminal leaflet on a longer stalk or petiole
This genus contains about a dozen species of shrubs and small trees, each with fruits that can be used to make a lathering soap.
This black-white-and-grey bird points its slender bill downwards – or tilts it comically upwards – as it spirals face-first down tree trunks and round and round branches, searching for insects to devour
These nearly ubiquitous, often evergreen vines are almost entirely edible outside of their berries. Try their tender tendrils. 😉