Porcupine

What do you call a gathering of porcupines?  A prickle of porcupines.  True!  And I should know...because the musician knows. 

The musician studies them on his daily bike rides along the bosque bike trail which passes below their hangouts.  He knows them intimately (not that intimately). He has named them, knows where they like to hang, and can recognize individual females, their mates, and their offspring.. 

Meet Ms. High-tower...she lives highest of the prickle where they grow like leaves in our river forest trees (the bosque). 
Extras: High-tower's friends and family include her neighbor Pokey, Poky's mate Spike, and their offspring Skylight.
Porcupines strip bark from the trees to eat for nourishment.