Not really jungle, but I love the tropical look of these American Bittersweet vines. Celastrus scandens.

Definitely singing with his mouth full, when I first saw him. A meal of worm, possibly?

Gray Catbird

When he sang, I caught a glimpse of his reddish undertail.

Gray Catbird

I caught a glimpse, but clouds covered it. I waited.

This low growing shrub is common in our gravel and sand soil pastures. Later, it will bear poisonous white berries. Symphoricarpos is the plant name, and it also goes by the name of Wolfberry.

This plant is named for the Seneca first nations people, who used it for snake bite. It was also used for respiratory, head, and stomach problems. It became a common ingredient in some medicines in the early 1900s, so there are still people today who remember childhood days of digging this root to sell, to supplement family income.