We visited Corn Springs yesterday and spent some time west of the oasis in the vicinity of the teddy bear and pencil cholla. I did a
post on the phainopepla earlier this month and mentioned their proclivity for mistletoe berries. Knowing that Corn Springs was an area where I've seen many phainopepla in the past, I started looking for mistletoe and as soon as I did I saw a phainopepla.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AHM9f-fe9J0jAV4FtGkFJcE0ApMA6hHqMuVX8BmqBZtfWyGyy9K52rYsn8CZ13OaeI9eXPDQ2N7BaTgEIxBTNaajMOcpf1Yg3VVA728PQp6dJ5f5d1sf7buH4l4653oKmzPkJ4q5HC4/w400-h241/11.jpg) |
This is the photo I took from my car. |
I stopped the car to take a photo and as soon as I did, Judy, Andrew and Michaela got out to start walking. I joined them in their walk, but was distracted by more phainopeplas. I saw several of them on trees with mistletoe and several actually immersed in the mistletoe, eating it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0SvMvc8VRugkwOGwrR_9TkTRLHlyspf_OMtp3InvVbisAxsKYZCFDTsrwoZvE1pyiW_ZL_xBYdS66phgADCLFC-MtNUgcB5G6XTMSWSiEvxFjD958m0o8f2lEoxs_a8KaJruOe-2wHM/w400-h398/1a.jpg) |
A phainopepla in mistletoe eating the small red berries. |
So now I've discovered the secret to finding and photographing phainopeplas: mistletoe. Find it and they will be there and they will stay there while you take photos.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzikdkYE7wrTi_WGX1vxpVQ2qGIISmvMbhAIvnv1dWRgJKY5RPwPt5WbQq2nDU7402ChZvMPZW4tfqq63OtrXH1A0XYH6mEyo8uWa9uY1OngW6A3Q5IPaKaynVo04e5byHrZdNxzIbaKI/w400-h217/20a.jpg) |
We heard this phainopepla a number of times from within mistletoe in a tree before we saw it. Several of us even started to mimic it's sound and it responded several times. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hB-LiY5LLsJPDzVRgBhfWobd2uJAVMGABgvqkeSxj33cZxJ-qqtm0Qa7eKgf1e7e-WEKALLmQ7-RZM_ooKH_a5sSbKlkN_5rR1FmGGMJQdUedq5I1-ZfWDWLUl7YCIsSf4Gdb2E0Qdg/w356-h400/Phainopepla+map+-+All+About+Birds.jpg) |
A map from All About Birds. |
That third photo is amazing. Love the crest!
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