Butterfly and Beetle both agree…Milkweed is the Plant for Me.
Denver, CO
Tag: ecosystem
Says Pheobe
Out in the grass as the sunlight started to fade a Says Phoebe enjoys their perch.
All About Birds says “these open-country birds have cinnamon-washed underparts and a rather gentle expression. They sally from low perches to snatch insects in midair or pounce on them on the ground. Say’s Phoebes often pump their tails while perched on a wire, fence post, or low bush. They breed farther north than any other flycatcher and are seemingly limited only by the lack of nest sites.”
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Says_Phoebe/id
It is always a treat to see a Says Phoebe.
Perfectly Perched
Perched at the edge of a leaf and taking a break from their seemingly endless flight. Perhaps deciding which flower to visit next or just taking in the wonderful view. The wildflowers were thick along this on this stretch of trail so the choices were many for a butterfly that day.
Crested Butte, CO.
10 Lined June Bug
From Wikipedia:
The ten-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata), also known as the watermelon beetle, is a scarab beetle, living in the western United States and Canada. The adults are attracted to light and feed on foliage. They can make a hissing sound when touched or otherwise disturbed, which can resemble the hissing of a bat.
Just me
I stumbled upon this little moth taking a break on a yarrow plant while out in the garden on afternoon. This little moth was content and stayed put even as I moved in to get a nice close look. As I pulled out the camera to take this photo it sure felt like this little moth was looking back at me saying “hey it’s just me… a little moth”.
If anyone out there has the skills to identify this little guy please chime in as “Little Moth” although descriptive could surely be expanded upon.
Have a great weekend.
Until we meet again
Earlier this summer we were lucky enough to have a few little Bushtits visiting the trees nearby. I miss those little guys and sure hope we are lucky enough to have them visit again next summer.
Soft Summer Bells
Soft Summer Bells ring as we hike along the trail in the Mt Zirkel Wilderness.
Places like this are few and far between and protecting them is worth the effort.
Leaf Beetle
We have seen many of these wonderful beetles this summer and today I think they deserve the spotlight.
Loggerhead Shrike
Sitting on a fence post looking for his next victim is a Loggerhead Shrike. “These birds sit on low, exposed perches and scan for rodents, lizards, birds, and insects. They eat smaller prey (such as ground beetles) right away, but they are famous for impaling larger items on thorns or barbed wire to be eaten later. The species often hovers. When flying it uses bursts of very rapid wingbeats.”
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Loggerhead_Shrike/id
This time the victim was a large Grasshopper.
Which the Shrike Caught and them impailed on this barbed wire fence.
The Shrike let the Grasshopper be for a minute but quickly went to town on his meal.
Laramie, WY.
Finding Shelter in the Trees
Looking out from the shelter provided by giant trees while waiting for the rain to slow before we hit the water for a paddle around the Acous Peninsula on Vancouver Island, CA.
nature has no boss 
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