Early summer is Rabbit time. Last weekend we saw plenty of healthy rabbits roaming the sagebrush and grasslands of the Arapahoe Wildlife Refuge as well as plenty of Hawks looking for an easy meal. Luckily for this guy he stayed on guard and was reluctant to stray too far from the cover of the sage.
One of the more unusual wildflowers we see each summer is Triteleia Grandiflora.
The tall slender stalk with only one or two basal leaves spring up out of grassy areas and are capped with a cluster of delicate yet hardy and unusual looking purple-blue flowers.
A native to the pacific northwest east of the cascade mountains from Oregon into Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. We have see it growing in open Prairies and up into mountain foothills. Usually it seems that each plant is widely spaced from it’s neighbors or many times we see a single plant spring up far from others of its own species.
It’s always fun to photograph these each spring and this years we have noticed greater numbers of Triteleia Grandiflora blooming than in the previous years.
Hearing the Chickadees calling in the trees above our heads we expected to look up and see either a black-capped or mountain chickadee as we had seen them earlier this day. However to our surprise we we greeted by this little Chestnut-Backed Chickadee looking down at us and hunting insects just above our heads.
The all about birds website starts their description of this bird by calling them handsome and I would have to whole heartedly agree with that.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chestnut-backed_Chickadee/id
Go ahead…dip a toe in it’s summer.
While strolling the fields to see who’s there we found a handful of newcomers that will be gone in the blink of an eye.
Some in small patches and some stand alone. Some out in the open while some hide along the forest edge.
A nice patch of Parry’s Townsend Daisies seem to shine even without the sunlight on a cloudy afternoon.
This beautiful flower (identified with the help of troutlily57) is a Death Camus. All parts of this wildflower contain toxic chemicals (alkaloids) said to be more potent than strychnine…yikes.
I think this small beauty is in the Phlox family. Yet the specific species needs further investigation.
Finally a beautiful Chocolate Lilly. These are always somewhat sparse and this year the flower seem unusually small.
All beautiful finds and fresh from the fields close to home.
Making acquaintance with a relaxed and aware black bear on a rainy spring morning.
Today is Purple day. Don’t ask me why…it just is. So on that note a smattering of purple wildflowers seen on various hikes not too far from home.
Above a field of Lupine sparkles on a rainy morning walk.
A purple Monkey flower added to the bouquet.
A Purple Pulsitila hanging just right.
And to top it all off Larkspur is another fine addition to the collection of local wildflowers blooming this time of year.
Many different shades but all of them say purple to a tee.
The wild current bushes are in full bloom up on the trail right now, and while their flowers may be small, they pack a big bundle of beauty into those small blooms.
With the bottom of their acorn vault looking depleted a pair of Acorn Woodpeckers makes their way towards the top shelf of their tree. The first one confidently leading the way as if saying follow me. I love the colors and the button eyes of these guys.
From marsh shrubs to sagebrush to pine forest to snow-covered peaks. A wide open landscape sure helps bring peace and quiet to a busy brain. Looking out from the marshlands at Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge in Montana.
nature has no boss 
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