Orobanche uniflora

On August 22, 2021July 28, 2021 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

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I can’t say it better than it is stated in this NY Times article “There’s simply no way to talk about the beauty of Orobanche uniflora without raising a lot of eyebrows.”

Commonly called Naked Broomrape or sometimes Flowered Cancer Root this wonderful flower with unflattering common names was a new one to us when we came across it in meadow on a recent hike.

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It is a short leafless plant unable to photosynthsize thus gaining it’s nutrients by parasitism. Often using sedum, saxifrages and asters as a host plant. Typically growing only up to 3 inches tall we found this cluster buried deep in the grass.

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It is a beautiful little flower and very unique to say the least.

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On Buckwheat

On August 11, 2021August 9, 2021 By Mike and Christy3 Comments

A few weeks back the wild Buckwheat plants we in full bloom along a trail we were hiking and they proved irresistible to a wide variety of butterflies seeking a nice sip of nectar on a hot summer afternoon. With both the Sulfur-flowered and Yellow-flowered species both in full bloom there was a buckwheat to meet the tastes of even the most discriminating species. While the Acadain Blue and Juniper Hairstreak we more partial to the Sulfur-flowered buckwheat….

The Fritillaries, Checkerspots and this beautiful Field Crescent favored the Yellow-flowered variety.

A beautiful collection of butterflies all within the span of 50 meters along the trail.

Time With Chip

On July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

Spending a little time with Chip. This summer a Chipmunk family seems to have made a home nearby and we were happy to spend some time observing them feeding, playing and just hanging out doing what Chipmunks do.

Play was on the menu this afternoon under the shade of an old Douglas Fir.

After expending all the energy a quick snack of Service Berry was in order. Better save a few for winter.

We all know what follows a big meal. Yes, a little afternoon snooze. Who wouldn’t like that on s sultry summer afternoon.

Have a wonderful and happy weekend.

Twice as nice

On July 27, 2021July 25, 2021 By Mike and Christy5 Comments

It’s always nice when you get a look at a Tree Swallow taking a break form their wonderful aerobatic maneuvers and two swallows resting, well, it’s definitely twice as nice.

Song Sparrow: Melospiza melodia

On July 23, 2021July 18, 2021 By Mike and Christy3 Comments

Given the enormous variety of regional differences it took a few looks and luckily photographs, to be certain this indeed was a Song Sparrow. And what a fine looking Song Sparrow it was.

For quite some time this birds perched upon a thorny branch of a small shrub. Moving back and forth and allowing us a nice long look during which were were able to inch ever closer.

After a few minutes this bird moved just a few yards away to a shrub containing leaves. While it was the same bird the image seemed to take on a different feeling. From pure blue sky and thorny shrub to a fresh field of green.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Young and old

On July 22, 2021July 16, 2021 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

Just a couple of weeks ago the wild roses along the road were in full bloom and evening light made them oh so appealing. Yet just a few steps away were older rose bushes rose-hips still attached and full of cobwebs.

As we walked this road the pattern seems to repeat young and old, new and old over and over again.

A fine study in contrast yet none really exists.

Good on wood

On July 21, 2021July 18, 2021 By Mike and ChristyLeave a comment

Birds on wood, well, it just looks good.

From old fence posts…

To fence post planks…

And downed well-weathered logs…

Regardless the bird they all look good when wood is in the mix.

Brewers Blackbird, Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow and Mountain Bluebird.

Eastern Kingbird

On July 8, 2021June 22, 2021 By Mike and ChristyLeave a comment

A Kingbird sits

Perhaps because he can?

Northern Waterthrush

On June 29, 2021June 22, 2021 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

Although he had is back to us we could hear this Northern Waterthrush serenading the females across the creek from a fair distance as we walked through our small wetlands area one morning.

“The Northern Waterthrush is often an unseen singer whose rich, sweet whistles lure listeners into its attractive habitats, the wooded swamps and bogs of northern North America. These streaky brown songbirds lack the bold colors of many other warblers and don’t forage in forest canopies. They forage at the water’s edge in bogs and still water, where they hunt aquatic insects and small salamanders, all the while bobbing the rear of the body, much like a Solitary Sandpiper, another denizen of shady swamps.”¹