Old Man of the Mountain
Today’s featured subject is the Old Man of the Mountain wildflower (Rydbergia grandiflora), also known as the alpine sunflower, or Rydbergia. These sunflowers stay low to the ground (up to about 10 inches), with flowers that are 2-4 inches wide. They typically bloom in July and August in the alpine landscape. The one interesting thing […]
Last Dollar Road
While in Ouray, Colorado, a short drive took me to Last Dollar Road and a majestic field of wildflowers at the foot of some photogenic mountains: I learned that this luscious field was at the foot of the Dallas Divide Mountains (in the background). As with all wildflowers, being there at peak time is the […]
Fall Colors on the Prairie
(This post originally published in October 2010) Here are a few images I recently took in the Prairie Meadow, exhibiting the fall colors that are now upon us. The first image is a sunflower that is covered with the early morning frost: The meadow is covered with Smooth Sumac that is now showing their […]
“Leftovers”
One more post from the local sunflower field, then I’m moving on to the second half of my July Colorado photo trip. Today’s “leftovers” includes some non-bird flying creatures, an unusual large bird, and a pair of land mammals that visited the sunflower field during my multiple trips there. Oh, yes, and a short video […]
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Butterflies & Sunflowers
Not only have birds been flocking to the nearby sunflower field … several other winged critters have been observed and photographed. Today’s post focus on the butterflies. One of the first visitors I encountered in the sunflower field was a Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly (Speyeria cybele): A bit later, I found another Great Spangled […]
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Other Visiting Birds at the Sunflower Field
Today’s post features a few other birds that were active in the sunflower field where I’ve been working. One of the coolest birds that frequented the sunflower field was the Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea). The most obvious sex of the visitors was the male, as shown in this image: Not to be outdone, a […]
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