tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41762128023531169362024-03-05T06:29:46.919-07:00JEllen in the Black HillsWelcome to JELLEN IN THE BLACK HILLS ~ My digital journal, where I highlight the natural wonders around me ~ the birds, beasts, botany, and beauty ~ in a National forest in SW South Dakota ~ and sometimes beyond.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.comBlogger385125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-52975997901408601262011-11-01T08:47:00.000-06:002011-11-01T08:47:44.345-06:00New Florida Blog is OnlineWe've arrived in Florida after six days on the road...we traveled from Sioux Falls, South Dakota<br />
Thru Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, and Alabama...all new states for us..<br />
Spent a night in a great hotel on the beach at Panama City Beach in the panhandle of FL...<br />
Spent two days with good friends and their family near Orlando...<br />
And yesterday we landed in the area we'll be staying for a month or two<br />
With hubby's brother until we find where we want to settle...<br />
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<a href="http://findingfloridaatfifty.blogspot.com/">http://findingfloridaatfifty.blogspot.com/</a> ...Here's the link to my new Blog!<br />
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I truly hope you'll continue to follow me there as I explore Florida!Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-33945503076628477882011-09-25T21:02:00.002-06:002011-09-25T21:25:30.624-06:00Moving On..and Over and DownBig life changes seem to happen in threes, don't they? They do for us anyway...<br />
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A lot has been happening the past 2-3 weeks...plenty of stress is involved, but ~ <em><strong><span style="color: #990000;">great news <span style="color: black;">~</span> </span></strong></em>tomorrow we'll be signing an updated real estate contract and our house will be closing escrow in a month... and we'll be moving to Florida finally! The Huz and I are hot and heavy with the sorting, packing, yard sale-ing, stressing, freaking out, etc. etc. that comes with moving long distance. <br />
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So, Huz retired in July, the house will be sold in Oct. and we'll be moving to FL in Oct. I think that's enough excitement for one year, LOL. This will be our third long-distance move/house sale in almost 29 yrs of marriage...big surprise, it doesn't get easier w/ age or experience!<br />
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We've had seven...uh, <em><strong>interesting</strong></em> years in the Black Hills...and survived seven long, hard winters, which is the main reason we must move on now that Huz is career-free ...that and the fact that we both were born with sand in our ears and miss the beaches terribly...<strong><em>BUT</em></strong>... <br />
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I discovered my love of nature photography here in S Dakota and had a wonderful time traveling the Hills capturing the birds, beasts, and botany in the area, starting in '05 when all I had was a pocket camera and a strong interest in the wildflowers when we walked our then-dog in a nearby canyon. I had especially fabulous photography years 2008-2010 and feel so blessed!<br />
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This is my last regular post for JEllen in the Black Hills and I thank all of you so very much who have been a visitor to my little space in Blogspot-o-sphere. I'll be creating a new Blog once we move and sincerely hope my regular visitors will follow me there! I'll be covering more subject matter besides nature...everything of interest that I come across in the Sunshine State is game!<br />
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I'll do one more post with a link to my new Blog, hopefully in Nov. Keep on Blogging!Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-26948926439285597422011-09-11T20:02:00.002-06:002011-09-11T20:02:22.820-06:00Silent Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-74587228872165932062011-09-10T10:02:00.000-06:002011-09-10T10:02:42.317-06:00Summer's Last Stand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Autumn is definitely in the air...we're still having nice, sunny weather in the high 70's to low 80's but it's supposed to come to an abrupt end Wed., dropping to the 60's. Autumn is very short-lived in S Dakota (sigh) before we start seeing s**w...last year we were real lucky, no white stuff until the very end of Oct. Well, not that we plan on being here for at least part of winter....</div>
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Anyway, we had company earlier this week, an ex-co-worker of hubby's and his wife were heading for Oklahoma and stopped in for a couple days. I did the tourist guide thing for them, including a drive thru the wildlife loop at Custer State Park...</div>
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It's that time of year...the bulls are checking out the females...we came upon two separate herds, both mainly females and calves, with a few bulls among them sizing up the gals for more procreating...</div>
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This bull is just chillin' with a female he seems to fancy...</div>
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...But this wiry red-haired calf isn't necessarily his offspring....junior was looking a bit nervous...I would too with a one ton hooved hunk of meat breathing down my neck...<br />
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Many of the "wild" (my ass, pardon the pun) burros have foals...they are cute but the traffic jam tourists cause due to burro gawking is slightly annoying...you can pet the burros, that's how wild they are...they block traffic looking for handouts...mom trains the foals in this fine art...</div>
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...Most of the buffalo calves have turned brown by now...</div>
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Life's rough on a sunny day in a state park...for now...little does he know, in about two weeks he'll be getting a hot iron brand pressed to his rump! The annual buffalo round-up is Sept. 26th this year.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-38636878277660557792011-08-22T13:52:00.003-06:002011-09-10T10:07:22.726-06:00Hazy August Daze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I finally ventured out with the camera Sat., and naturally it was an overcast day...the days before and after were sunny and clear...I'm just really out of it this year...and am also trying to pretend that summer isn't winding down...but the curlycup gumweed and goldenrod are in bloom...</div>
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I meandered around the usual farmland area to see what nature had to offer...</div>
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I thought I'd found a flock of lifer birds but they turned out to be yellowy-colored house sparrows...</div>
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(Update: Thanks Hap, you're no doubt right about this being an immature or female bobolink! I knew something was off about ID'ing it as a yellowy sparrow! LOL)</div>
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Sigh...a flock of European starlings...in their winter color no less...yikes...<br />
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The wild cucumber is in bloom...this vine took a hold by a nail on the post...<br />
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The Eastern kingbirds are still around...<br />
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...Some with plenty of 'tude...</div>
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An American kestrel was out hunting...</div>
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Two bucks ran across the road in front of me, into the underbrush...I tried to get a focused shot, focused on the buck and not the grass but that didn't happen...</div>
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Sunflowers and chicory are still in bloom...the blue and yellow are pretty together, even on the side of a dusty dirt road.</div>
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Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-49396168723678211832011-08-15T08:43:00.001-06:002011-08-15T08:44:44.418-06:00Sturgis Skulls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 71st Annual Sturgis Bike Rally officially ended Sunday...it's always fun to see the bikes pouring in and it's always nice to have traffic back to 'normal', heh. Now for the four-wheeled tourist traffic to die down...can you say, Mt. Rushmore? Anyway, the Huz and I owned various Harleys for about twelve years, until '08, and before the Harleys we had other bikes...we still go to Sturgis during bike week to check out the bikes and nosh on some vendor food...this year we checked out some custom bikes...clearly skulls are a popular theme...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZbKM64XkIIzcxs7SAlLGUcA1aaJp0BGq0e95kcfYx8EeP0NLR2zA-yAJa0CamlZsPR8BDOKzRqd_kdHMbh5Q9xZoYCqdMwVQsy7pg5t_4KDEyehYFqdwcYIBgs_BymWRAms3gRJALDit/s1600/024+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZbKM64XkIIzcxs7SAlLGUcA1aaJp0BGq0e95kcfYx8EeP0NLR2zA-yAJa0CamlZsPR8BDOKzRqd_kdHMbh5Q9xZoYCqdMwVQsy7pg5t_4KDEyehYFqdwcYIBgs_BymWRAms3gRJALDit/s400/024+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>...There was an orange skull...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9ALQ1q_f-wss0inoax8z86RelNCUaBh7E7uVghLWSMQolsRLOtJeKPVEiGvUObzBPYwJs1pIHkoe9yS0JUjumcRdyHLtrdTFnew0D9cXaL6E0_PdP_vTbzDb5DZmQpifbMUlWeGGeJqQ/s1600/024+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9ALQ1q_f-wss0inoax8z86RelNCUaBh7E7uVghLWSMQolsRLOtJeKPVEiGvUObzBPYwJs1pIHkoe9yS0JUjumcRdyHLtrdTFnew0D9cXaL6E0_PdP_vTbzDb5DZmQpifbMUlWeGGeJqQ/s400/024+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNdM_tXS90Qlbai1BTaCS_EdGuf_j4RNYb1hm_Djh88YBV5WT0i3IkISZ0Fx9DjDSTgbW2P_gY2xUWR9UpQEwSHVQAJDrYX0_gXVK8Qa0K-Zhg7WgQtWSy7bDkTjxxbcyuVmcJkpObzvw/s1600/023+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNdM_tXS90Qlbai1BTaCS_EdGuf_j4RNYb1hm_Djh88YBV5WT0i3IkISZ0Fx9DjDSTgbW2P_gY2xUWR9UpQEwSHVQAJDrYX0_gXVK8Qa0K-Zhg7WgQtWSy7bDkTjxxbcyuVmcJkpObzvw/s400/023+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
...Hard to see but the white designs all have skulls...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFwM9tDaOM5FXAzQLk4Ech78rLVtjB4CSNFoZaLdjz7IwiP3Xph1eiOsxjg63JMgAa80H23-gnG0Z0CcD8Xf2rlGQAxBZAjkqHlyDrkzxCg8TDZd9GamFyCwQ13plYKX7VsdK6t1lxPlX/s1600/026+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFwM9tDaOM5FXAzQLk4Ech78rLVtjB4CSNFoZaLdjz7IwiP3Xph1eiOsxjg63JMgAa80H23-gnG0Z0CcD8Xf2rlGQAxBZAjkqHlyDrkzxCg8TDZd9GamFyCwQ13plYKX7VsdK6t1lxPlX/s400/026+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Skull and angels, hmm.....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4eq9TZLQ3-OCv5qfPf02UIyoGXqo1G2t4Q4cL2usicy-Bu-MG01UQTTqbMr8p3r2-28viNFUHvRc9CeDhuxMVX657yypVPDYA5a0eGnhr33MSjddKcW9C2CYvaY6OS0L0DlDxwQAdfYe/s1600/028+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4eq9TZLQ3-OCv5qfPf02UIyoGXqo1G2t4Q4cL2usicy-Bu-MG01UQTTqbMr8p3r2-28viNFUHvRc9CeDhuxMVX657yypVPDYA5a0eGnhr33MSjddKcW9C2CYvaY6OS0L0DlDxwQAdfYe/s400/028+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
...A sea creature like the one in Pirates of the Caribbean...looks skull-ish...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsQdgrdkJ-nju0pu3iR8wHSvYP8uoyiVkO8G4EitwpPbi8if4fEOTaps7ZfrF04Lnh4synX0XaQ6XFf1ZJ9iJ5MK0qFJkrwqvce8Grheev3_VIxbE-96h2RJGbQRERtuyjoMZQQdOi7DO/s1600/031+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsQdgrdkJ-nju0pu3iR8wHSvYP8uoyiVkO8G4EitwpPbi8if4fEOTaps7ZfrF04Lnh4synX0XaQ6XFf1ZJ9iJ5MK0qFJkrwqvce8Grheev3_VIxbE-96h2RJGbQRERtuyjoMZQQdOi7DO/s400/031+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> ...Even the seat can have custom skulls carved in leather...and some foul language...oopsie...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRU_VxVmwo4Lvn9JQQfoFH2u1-olDv7ZwS6F-fMbamtsd7gcmXRPfnvw93s3D4gtlEGKgmzh_KK-J8Bae7FDH57rrBBNQybFlNoxMddqjeDNpG1siFmGhA0a6gQGoHjFhtSon5aK21RhK/s1600/029+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRU_VxVmwo4Lvn9JQQfoFH2u1-olDv7ZwS6F-fMbamtsd7gcmXRPfnvw93s3D4gtlEGKgmzh_KK-J8Bae7FDH57rrBBNQybFlNoxMddqjeDNpG1siFmGhA0a6gQGoHjFhtSon5aK21RhK/s400/029+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>...A charming trio of skulls....<br />
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This is what Main Street in Sturgis looks like during bike week...no cars allowed.<br />
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I haven't been out w/ the camera stalking nature very much at all this year, but hopefully I'll follow thru on the threat to get out real soon.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-90256525675248151502011-08-04T14:42:00.001-06:002011-08-04T14:43:32.519-06:00Mariposa Lily<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gLhpqDx91s0OtkU0xKtPlEcEVLhlA-oQvsr5LV1Pi0Yr9tpzLPYaolDsxfdDZNr1qQQY5EHZA2POqlzc_Up99naIEaEPMEQAwcIPn3zZQQNCaGvqS5SMDIE9dkCMEVyO4KRVQnnhE0mx/s1600/003+%25281%2529+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gLhpqDx91s0OtkU0xKtPlEcEVLhlA-oQvsr5LV1Pi0Yr9tpzLPYaolDsxfdDZNr1qQQY5EHZA2POqlzc_Up99naIEaEPMEQAwcIPn3zZQQNCaGvqS5SMDIE9dkCMEVyO4KRVQnnhE0mx/s400/003+%25281%2529+ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>“And the stately lilies stand </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Fair in the silvery light, </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Like saintly vestals, pale in prayer; </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Their pure breath sanctifies the air, </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>As its fragrance fills the night.” </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Julia C. R. Dorr</strong></div>Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-42804303069961278672011-07-31T13:45:00.001-06:002011-08-04T12:57:31.564-06:00Eurasian Invasion?<div style="text-align: center;">The backyard feeders </div><div style="text-align: center;">Are getting a lot of exciting visitors this year, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm thrilled to say...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The biggest thrill factor is </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A pair of Eurasian Collared Doves! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They are clearly nesting nearby...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">According to the Stokes field guide,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The doves (Streptopilia <u>decaocto</u>) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Were introduced to the Bahamas,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And have spread to Florida,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With sightings in GA, LA, and AR,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And further expansion is expected...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">According to Audubon,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">which calls it the Ringed Turtle-Dove,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Streptopelia <u>risoria</u>),</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">it was introduced in S. Calif., AZ, AL, and S. Florida...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Either way, they've made it to the middle of the country!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But which is it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Or are they the same w/ a very minor discrepancy?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm an Ornithological Oaf on these things...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They certainly look the same...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I first saw the doves, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I thought they were mourning doves...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But a voice in the back of my brain</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Was telling me something was 'off' ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They seemed really pale...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And there's that dark line on the back of the neck...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I looked them up in the good books...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Turns out the tip of the tail is blunt also...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They are shy, polite creatures...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below, they wait patiently for the sparrow to leave...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(More about that fellow later)...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a mourning dove for comparison...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Zenaida macroura)...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's darker with dark spots on the wing tips...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The tail feathers come to a point...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And no collar...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one is out in the farming community...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mr. and Mrs. Mt. Bluebird </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have been nesting in the neighbor's birdhouse...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In June, the Mrs. was seen in our yard...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gathering nature's tidbits for the nest...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8ic5yU8RZw-1C3WwtQpQw2zF3hxPj826YBNuEezrrieMkgJQSy7TIZSJciee_RBt2HsB9xiMBhj2YLj5Sc08EP6P34gz0SaSpZAJba1ecGgJO4t9CtAGER5yfsN2GAOd8r6n7LYqod5Z/s1600/DSC09026+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8ic5yU8RZw-1C3WwtQpQw2zF3hxPj826YBNuEezrrieMkgJQSy7TIZSJciee_RBt2HsB9xiMBhj2YLj5Sc08EP6P34gz0SaSpZAJba1ecGgJO4t9CtAGER5yfsN2GAOd8r6n7LYqod5Z/s400/DSC09026+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But for the past few weeks now, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's just Mr. Mt. Bluebird...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Who is seen daily,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gathering grub for his brood...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He checks out the seed feeders but doesn't eat...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But he does drink water from the bird bath...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He has been very, very busy </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Faithfully feeding his family...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dashing here and there...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until recently, we also enjoyed Mr. House Finch's visits...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">His red head is a very brilliant crimson...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here he's in one of our two apple trees...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one now has small green apples...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now the female finches </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Are abundant in our yard...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Along with their fledglings...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another surprise visitor, a squirrel...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That discovered the sunflower seeds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now we know who was sneaking out at night,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eating all the seeds up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a mystery...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How a deer --or two-- could creep in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And not leave any 'calling cards' !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The feeders come inside at dusk now...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Esq. Red was here a couple days, is gone now...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another unusual, exciting visitor... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A black-capped chickadee!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I may not be good at ID'ing bird calls,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But I know the chickadee's unique raspy song,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So quickly grabbed the camera...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And there it was,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yesterday and today so far...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The goldfinches that first showed up weeks ago...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have been very scarce of late...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But one male has come back </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The past couple days...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">His yellow is the brightest hue of sunshine...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now, about that sparrow...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are a couple male house sparrows...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This fellow in particular...a fledgling? ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That are visiting every day...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not only to eat...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But to lounge for hours on the feeder's ledge...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A safe haven til they develop their wings?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7ucKyFYBASCg_Ot9v8nMhxU0tLmAeYNMueRLNhHgpbNwOmM_3eEcg1EFXGpw-quFwzJTcPZsaA0kbEPZeqVapohHwSTyjceJ6eGNWz0Gjhyphenhyphen2lK4ucdxIjZYZtVG6O1NPx9JVO2Gm5_B_/s1600/DSC09041+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7ucKyFYBASCg_Ot9v8nMhxU0tLmAeYNMueRLNhHgpbNwOmM_3eEcg1EFXGpw-quFwzJTcPZsaA0kbEPZeqVapohHwSTyjceJ6eGNWz0Gjhyphenhyphen2lK4ucdxIjZYZtVG6O1NPx9JVO2Gm5_B_/s400/DSC09041+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There's one in every crowd...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A few rowdy crows </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have found our Ornit Oasis,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Unwelcome new guests...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They show up in the morning,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cawing loudly;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Who needs a rooster?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But fortunately they don't stay long.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The other unwelcome guests,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The brown-headed cowbirds,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Though pretty in their subtle way...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have disappeared,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm happy to say!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-50666721118198286182011-07-25T19:02:00.000-06:002011-07-25T19:02:35.501-06:00Crop Magic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the coolest things about nature photography, esp. when you're taking a photo of a subject at a good distance, is that once you get home and crop a photo, you discover there was more in your shot than you realized.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPL_tz_xvXpVU4i6wVAELmTLklLMCYpjcp3AbXXHxeGlj45Co7v5HNiTiaKznvEnjHofuJwpSXUmzHkVcmD0Z-tKNF8YSg27gTUjxtQwX2XT_eKK3huEsw098CNxdqMWAmIcUOIJYrgKx/s1600/DSC08677+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPL_tz_xvXpVU4i6wVAELmTLklLMCYpjcp3AbXXHxeGlj45Co7v5HNiTiaKznvEnjHofuJwpSXUmzHkVcmD0Z-tKNF8YSg27gTUjxtQwX2XT_eKK3huEsw098CNxdqMWAmIcUOIJYrgKx/s400/DSC08677+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The shots I took of this doe are a great example...I couldn't figure out why she was frozen in place. I was probably almost 100 yards from her but still, she looked like she wanted to bolt.....turned out she had a wee fawn nursing under her! :o)</div>Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-37497128070404916542011-07-18T08:50:00.000-06:002011-07-18T08:50:59.121-06:00Rocky Mountain High -- Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once we were heading north in the Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park, it wasn't long before daughter's boyfriend C. spied a lone moose just inside the treeline...Huz turned around, pulled over, and I was able to get several shots before other tourists zeroed in on the action...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUiNyCBPfxSpmcjgjnx6tYVGCXxWOK9uz7xXEBUSNJIw9_RN3agd4o_oUxDIwWt2bZ8qiAK61wWBf_M6nWFklbLciVTi8tpC4KzV1cDN6RTRjqRNPdfJYoTTcFLBw0VzCxujSZobmW3B9/s1600/DSC08977+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUiNyCBPfxSpmcjgjnx6tYVGCXxWOK9uz7xXEBUSNJIw9_RN3agd4o_oUxDIwWt2bZ8qiAK61wWBf_M6nWFklbLciVTi8tpC4KzV1cDN6RTRjqRNPdfJYoTTcFLBw0VzCxujSZobmW3B9/s400/DSC08977+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Turned out, this was a young male...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b1LgfCNeI5XyF2fYCN57R9qkyi9S82RjeHTefXsB5g2L4rVLP-YSWEgo_XrFfSGhPW5U_pYAZOLrDXeZQQLMFOJtire_KKScaXj1DyfGiSPdqW108SKvglSSHaPnQERWlJ2XBKNQtior/s1600/DSC08991+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b1LgfCNeI5XyF2fYCN57R9qkyi9S82RjeHTefXsB5g2L4rVLP-YSWEgo_XrFfSGhPW5U_pYAZOLrDXeZQQLMFOJtire_KKScaXj1DyfGiSPdqW108SKvglSSHaPnQERWlJ2XBKNQtior/s400/DSC08991+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjspMX04Cv6gJm-EAO47mZ8qZejGEeEVMNkJ1tyaIfs9_dfaqgtFXWGOFEn-DNrKzDxGHH8WRsAM9541uZ8irK5H4WTadijSvvVilShBuDzz-PR_HGIA2ZVRESqtOlA_yRqTl-ct1uMcM/s1600/DSC08993+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjspMX04Cv6gJm-EAO47mZ8qZejGEeEVMNkJ1tyaIfs9_dfaqgtFXWGOFEn-DNrKzDxGHH8WRsAM9541uZ8irK5H4WTadijSvvVilShBuDzz-PR_HGIA2ZVRESqtOlA_yRqTl-ct1uMcM/s400/DSC08993+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Across the road from the moose was this female elk...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cAKLhVIRbUiXfy8kowxyOR170dYtTRygWnnBlj3lPzAH0G-pONURgzlZ6vJ9Ge03nBTXvDv_ibP56VTpuXWOIGQfzNLp2n-pwvTc7LEovQHffT5nBHTyDaZBHSxyN4imeHG9b07IMh19/s1600/089+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cAKLhVIRbUiXfy8kowxyOR170dYtTRygWnnBlj3lPzAH0G-pONURgzlZ6vJ9Ge03nBTXvDv_ibP56VTpuXWOIGQfzNLp2n-pwvTc7LEovQHffT5nBHTyDaZBHSxyN4imeHG9b07IMh19/s400/089+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another wildflower, Rydberg's penstemon...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjk_or_Ik9LGnCJn42VDvAUxqokWAht-51sZglP9N9iKcH6_Up61RvRp1yoWnjHEOmsOaB23mKC1wPWvANi4dR7QpzYU7kDew-mrHKXQYrGwtOIrgGSUchMChzegSpIfUiQtfpWkl1cEs/s1600/DSC09002+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjk_or_Ik9LGnCJn42VDvAUxqokWAht-51sZglP9N9iKcH6_Up61RvRp1yoWnjHEOmsOaB23mKC1wPWvANi4dR7QpzYU7kDew-mrHKXQYrGwtOIrgGSUchMChzegSpIfUiQtfpWkl1cEs/s400/DSC09002+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking back at the valley where we'd been, during a steep climb up a mountain.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5fl3GUwhXeVA39TLoi-1nPlCAgWxEREgkY-8di-zrhSs66yfm1rqgzCj21QcuMuGXPiixSsudDU_ypWpSaP1lxxyAuzTFjPeNlpES0ydrHI2Fwf2vhPaUmqYjm6FW_umMJSGyCSTo4tP/s1600/DSC09010+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5fl3GUwhXeVA39TLoi-1nPlCAgWxEREgkY-8di-zrhSs66yfm1rqgzCj21QcuMuGXPiixSsudDU_ypWpSaP1lxxyAuzTFjPeNlpES0ydrHI2Fwf2vhPaUmqYjm6FW_umMJSGyCSTo4tP/s400/DSC09010+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another view from the same turn-out as we climb in elev....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyy68bwIgl84ivEedITPicIEOYVQJ6rtVbQhX_meCE1dv1bCgQIYbniJ762caPpC9uvyNZTyndCCTmtYBuAFTpCOYYR8ivQJPeTTQyAX6dUivGUfa_OcFkTkKPSkBaHJOAx5vquywe7fYJ/s1600/094+%25281%2529+W+Bistort.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyy68bwIgl84ivEedITPicIEOYVQJ6rtVbQhX_meCE1dv1bCgQIYbniJ762caPpC9uvyNZTyndCCTmtYBuAFTpCOYYR8ivQJPeTTQyAX6dUivGUfa_OcFkTkKPSkBaHJOAx5vquywe7fYJ/s400/094+%25281%2529+W+Bistort.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Western bistort...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ooWGBfdaMlUfcseV4BbNkjvDyRzrY_UFuU2aPTU1Ep3Uo4NDk4nrA6fLAIFUdrqzsHtX0_uZw-hpCzpBXUdJnnUjc59cBQbUZmf00lBdhy6nVPPcBTATLS-2gcqZwDrmDXXkyr19D_A/s1600/095+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1ooWGBfdaMlUfcseV4BbNkjvDyRzrY_UFuU2aPTU1Ep3Uo4NDk4nrA6fLAIFUdrqzsHtX0_uZw-hpCzpBXUdJnnUjc59cBQbUZmf00lBdhy6nVPPcBTATLS-2gcqZwDrmDXXkyr19D_A/s400/095+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Continental Divide...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyaVpXIOzCnGYJAwn-qm-8kxi47mvQ__GzUEsqvzsaX4WEs-1ZjLeXz7QQz6oo8jUfU46W7O1WAH53O3Hcj_IXNHb0ZifvE2qLfrkcO_20odp3bU5Nj30Bbkg9JxOk63kMTwV3Kyv7xJo/s1600/DSC09017+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyaVpXIOzCnGYJAwn-qm-8kxi47mvQ__GzUEsqvzsaX4WEs-1ZjLeXz7QQz6oo8jUfU46W7O1WAH53O3Hcj_IXNHb0ZifvE2qLfrkcO_20odp3bU5Nj30Bbkg9JxOk63kMTwV3Kyv7xJo/s400/DSC09017+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Top of the mountains, Alpine Tundra, at 11,796 feet elev. (above and below)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-9nVXISiDSKJlxTqQ0Ammzp6_jQDkn7_CQ8iAa-DWmdFQT9HNjVGD1YAihB_pHSvbw1AVSyHpYGITaI1yF4YYS28_waGr7zpFTWmtIcVlOVm5TU6ZamB1FeU0vqWT_9rKFpdBgtOcwZh/s1600/103+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-9nVXISiDSKJlxTqQ0Ammzp6_jQDkn7_CQ8iAa-DWmdFQT9HNjVGD1YAihB_pHSvbw1AVSyHpYGITaI1yF4YYS28_waGr7zpFTWmtIcVlOVm5TU6ZamB1FeU0vqWT_9rKFpdBgtOcwZh/s400/103+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Purple fringe grows in the delicate alpine tundra, as well as several other wildflowers. I've always been intrigued with how wildflowers can grow, thrive even, from the most rugged, dry, rocky terrain.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm ready to go back to Colorado and explore more of the Rockies! Sylvia...no, we didn't do any hiking...we're in no shape to hike in the Rockies unfortunately, esp. at the higher elevations, plus we didn't have the time. I was thrilled just to get up into the Rockies and SEE them! Did I mention, I'm ready to go back? ;o) </div>Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-77513778374265359462011-07-11T11:25:00.000-06:002011-07-11T11:25:01.558-06:00Rocky Mountain High -- Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's official...the Huz is retired, as of July 1st...we houswives never get to retire, but hey the job has really flexible hours, heh heh...so 'we' are retired per se, the house is for sale for who knows how long (getting nowhere fast so far)...time to get away for a bit. Our daughter's 24th birthday was Sunday, so we headed down to Denver on the 5th. This time, I was hell-bent on seeing the 'real' Colorado......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUos1-SYJoWynJgYffhqteMqfFfZKbEj8RUMzkVZqhP0gUMhJN2ENwyX8ZBYtOEm_9hgsHUF5GoYBVfru6Nc-0Jf8o1zFSZ56q41zIFiGL5CzO3jBOqjMe8dTkVUwGwA50se__cClFTpA/s1600/017+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUos1-SYJoWynJgYffhqteMqfFfZKbEj8RUMzkVZqhP0gUMhJN2ENwyX8ZBYtOEm_9hgsHUF5GoYBVfru6Nc-0Jf8o1zFSZ56q41zIFiGL5CzO3jBOqjMe8dTkVUwGwA50se__cClFTpA/s400/017+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the 6th, we (daughter's boyfriend included) headed W on I-70, then N on Hwy. 40, to Hot Sulphur Springs Resort/Spa, just S of the Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park...we stopped to look at the area daughter and bf had camped in recently, along the Fraser River....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvGCglx7PG5teI7veUhWntHdFI2ONM6QLpHGSYKzsj5fTU6RJdkphg3QX5B5jeQGhEU6HnA7lFweAQkQ2RlLA1M-26SG_ZEwmDqfgvgYV-LFvdJ4gukm-fY87JK1oR1Jw42vL-DOKIKj/s1600/048+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvGCglx7PG5teI7veUhWntHdFI2ONM6QLpHGSYKzsj5fTU6RJdkphg3QX5B5jeQGhEU6HnA7lFweAQkQ2RlLA1M-26SG_ZEwmDqfgvgYV-LFvdJ4gukm-fY87JK1oR1Jw42vL-DOKIKj/s400/048+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stayed one night at the resort, enjoying several of the 24 natural hot spring-fed pools...too bad about the mosquitos...so far no signs of W Nile virus...this would be way better in winter when it's 20 degrees out...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnyPla0EejnxPjJRP58cijxBrCGOcEyXaCQwdid_Yytyyg6XEL1sKvsiQZ5N-H7PGDc62b8A7tg-Sdn35trkWIkFOi9J-BlKlGenzkQqth0MiM9Cw8bOHOh6N3S5m60403BJZKwPeRyoE/s1600/057+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnyPla0EejnxPjJRP58cijxBrCGOcEyXaCQwdid_Yytyyg6XEL1sKvsiQZ5N-H7PGDc62b8A7tg-Sdn35trkWIkFOi9J-BlKlGenzkQqth0MiM9Cw8bOHOh6N3S5m60403BJZKwPeRyoE/s400/057+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The resort was scattered with lovely garden flowers incl this colorful assortment...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzjzg1jEaYp-A4kLMUehHmnBHwDwIhcaoWdtKcZo6ShUVBoEnyiiWGr6bulfkrlgbG2VFOS5vdOOtiHKyCY9yOhnSC4gX8uozZLS9UPOFJRB61znesX-t4Zj0s0UysLB8lH2emythtyxe/s1600/DSC08887+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzjzg1jEaYp-A4kLMUehHmnBHwDwIhcaoWdtKcZo6ShUVBoEnyiiWGr6bulfkrlgbG2VFOS5vdOOtiHKyCY9yOhnSC4gX8uozZLS9UPOFJRB61znesX-t4Zj0s0UysLB8lH2emythtyxe/s400/DSC08887+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I managed to get photos of two birds, both at the resort...above is a tree swallow, below I believe is a type of wren....it has banded wing and tail...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2WJOhha1uQbhipLgSK5l0JG7y7x30ih6LguXrwWhBST7ngZvuG5oFDlMfhzG3CZFzrJc5j1AcTVPW8ns_FYUR7KRpsWWfj2r47uaC-WyA134CWTsg5T6Hh8VqLkzmpxIW7iQS6QqE0cS/s1600/DSC08923+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2WJOhha1uQbhipLgSK5l0JG7y7x30ih6LguXrwWhBST7ngZvuG5oFDlMfhzG3CZFzrJc5j1AcTVPW8ns_FYUR7KRpsWWfj2r47uaC-WyA134CWTsg5T6Hh8VqLkzmpxIW7iQS6QqE0cS/s400/DSC08923+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wcKYgAi7PIYMHK-CsW1ok9Gqwmy_CKqFplLyV6R0KMYLSur0LlP19StKICDzvxzdcQzEYMA_axdb_h2GEJljnEsgC8B1U6zqRFkjDTCXVajYxd2WI9gYV-5uH1T6bS86vfkm6Xj9QhI0/s1600/DSC08932+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wcKYgAi7PIYMHK-CsW1ok9Gqwmy_CKqFplLyV6R0KMYLSur0LlP19StKICDzvxzdcQzEYMA_axdb_h2GEJljnEsgC8B1U6zqRFkjDTCXVajYxd2WI9gYV-5uH1T6bS86vfkm6Xj9QhI0/s400/DSC08932+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Colorado's state flower is the columbine...there were several colors growing at the resort, planted there...I sooo wanted to get photos of the columbine in the wild but did not, tho I did see them at least...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXNNihxJZiKKKzXRvNeA1080oQcncBpLY3ohEfU_urTF8dvjJSgnk4otzwQ4CvhrZC-c3Kyq6IsZt_2rzQj_2mJEtQ4w4O9vxmEMsp0z-91ckXBDS_S-g3h-Kfe0Qr3F9kBtqSryRP0Fg/s1600/DSC08936+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXNNihxJZiKKKzXRvNeA1080oQcncBpLY3ohEfU_urTF8dvjJSgnk4otzwQ4CvhrZC-c3Kyq6IsZt_2rzQj_2mJEtQ4w4O9vxmEMsp0z-91ckXBDS_S-g3h-Kfe0Qr3F9kBtqSryRP0Fg/s400/DSC08936+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I saw many wildflowers not seen in S Dakota, but couldn't get photos of most, like the Indian paintbrush, a coral-colored flower that looked like possibly a penstemon, and much more, whaaaaa...I did get this dewy narrowleaf penstemon...several penstemons grow in the Black Hills also...sigh...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapwQsM_PBqBegtu8UHoZ8PSL-RIffn4AvsCrJejDEKt_6Ob2W7fjttHjycN3DKyExJ1ZKEpukn8j-SIfUd7v1I3nKr4XTkvNjabcje-v3wgLRSOLtmBz26-H88iDqwfvyz8Y1ZtD0pYy8/s1600/DSC08948+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapwQsM_PBqBegtu8UHoZ8PSL-RIffn4AvsCrJejDEKt_6Ob2W7fjttHjycN3DKyExJ1ZKEpukn8j-SIfUd7v1I3nKr4XTkvNjabcje-v3wgLRSOLtmBz26-H88iDqwfvyz8Y1ZtD0pYy8/s400/DSC08948+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also common in S Dakota, phlox...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzQtt7vBxxSQpzEXRkARpDlTGud1w6q-Pj-whAKl2JRNDbb4iPX6TX6weuwa0rYpZuDpPcY7O8EOQMtSuvxdUTj-u4a9BwyxX99R4i4YnpiaRO2HlH78JYZrDWhvjhV3igxbOfh-xtoOX/s1600/DSC08965+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzQtt7vBxxSQpzEXRkARpDlTGud1w6q-Pj-whAKl2JRNDbb4iPX6TX6weuwa0rYpZuDpPcY7O8EOQMtSuvxdUTj-u4a9BwyxX99R4i4YnpiaRO2HlH78JYZrDWhvjhV3igxbOfh-xtoOX/s400/DSC08965+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Fri., we headed N. on Hwy 34, into the Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park for our first visit...the scenery did not disappoint! The Rocky Mts are as breath-taking as it gets...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdje__MZ7e5o3vcdYdl6PexztHH9CBLWKo5eaDs43HP4LzIlJ1kD1CzZS8njrSC0oGHAJTeEcXEHwhP35GY09yKnzm4-R0jD_VLfFcaXxTyFNPPD7a-cEQHh9PX2uUcjk45p9pKZmvCbx3/s1600/DSC08976+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdje__MZ7e5o3vcdYdl6PexztHH9CBLWKo5eaDs43HP4LzIlJ1kD1CzZS8njrSC0oGHAJTeEcXEHwhP35GY09yKnzm4-R0jD_VLfFcaXxTyFNPPD7a-cEQHh9PX2uUcjk45p9pKZmvCbx3/s400/DSC08976+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div>These two shots were taken at the SW end of the Park. I'll post Part II of our trek soon....Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-40605083332828757582011-07-01T08:32:00.001-06:002011-07-01T08:33:51.409-06:00Skywatch Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnHmQwwd-3MeApmbPL8jE29d_2U5nK6GNHSF4EOIenPrG12VbxEa4I2s-XR87MvUW-twVD6vrvcm1QgQNyrZRXN2XFDCwdgTE-oVjIh1I-fhA2kT2KGICMgU57x-dOey9J7-aVUL7oza7/s1600/DSC08768+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnHmQwwd-3MeApmbPL8jE29d_2U5nK6GNHSF4EOIenPrG12VbxEa4I2s-XR87MvUW-twVD6vrvcm1QgQNyrZRXN2XFDCwdgTE-oVjIh1I-fhA2kT2KGICMgU57x-dOey9J7-aVUL7oza7/s400/DSC08768+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mother Nature charmed us with another gorgeous sky show, the day after my previous post; guess she was on a roll! This was at sunset, with another thunder storm rolling in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, AMERICA!</div>Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-41030380853211426082011-06-26T09:12:00.000-06:002011-06-26T09:12:59.967-06:00Skywatch Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Summer is finally here, and so are the thunderstorms...Friday we had a lovely show from Mother Nature; the Huz was at work (it never fails) and I had to enjoy a candle-lit evening alone while the rain poured, pea-sized hail piled up (larger hail fell elsewhere), and the power went out for about an hour. Last night, we had an even more spectacular light show, and I took photos before the rain hit....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicv-iitM14LUzZp05xS_v76SFz7GP6eLx96hFJ9GaQcNTIc4Eo4i1_WZ9XH3t3lkgp01l_UJS5uvUhZBO4ON18FFCnEeM49PVN-_gFGFw3ZCgJ4a5tJc9C90Y-Vv4Cj3Rx46g3qiZorNLj/s1600/DSC08741+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicv-iitM14LUzZp05xS_v76SFz7GP6eLx96hFJ9GaQcNTIc4Eo4i1_WZ9XH3t3lkgp01l_UJS5uvUhZBO4ON18FFCnEeM49PVN-_gFGFw3ZCgJ4a5tJc9C90Y-Vv4Cj3Rx46g3qiZorNLj/s400/DSC08741+%25281%2529.JPG" width="266px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This ray of sun before the black clouds squeezed it out...was breath-taking!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEadI8yqXvG4fNklt1GYsLYqXOYVZFeb04ZYCqbuBvat0SxaOD5ke3M3ppUeEaq2bD1ztNu0u-5fHS0XDj2oKzy4kkFtekRrNdUwvTeAprdACxgGiTETruhyCcj0gZLELAJVVvweSdQRD/s1600/DSC08754+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEadI8yqXvG4fNklt1GYsLYqXOYVZFeb04ZYCqbuBvat0SxaOD5ke3M3ppUeEaq2bD1ztNu0u-5fHS0XDj2oKzy4kkFtekRrNdUwvTeAprdACxgGiTETruhyCcj0gZLELAJVVvweSdQRD/s400/DSC08754+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Things are getting more ominous...note the horizontal bands of clouds in front of the puffy clouds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RI5U1lZzb2kTs_v3oLxG_iuFu_etewx6tD2_ljFZN_inIEz5HY3FDtbfRlGaRyEe9U6SbqXG0wHmL6fDDgLy91_KAR0Mtv-FdnvnrxiOJNPqBF3xvaaLfClp3RJeTlaUlY6hlq_Zuu2a/s1600/DSC08767+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RI5U1lZzb2kTs_v3oLxG_iuFu_etewx6tD2_ljFZN_inIEz5HY3FDtbfRlGaRyEe9U6SbqXG0wHmL6fDDgLy91_KAR0Mtv-FdnvnrxiOJNPqBF3xvaaLfClp3RJeTlaUlY6hlq_Zuu2a/s400/DSC08767+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div>It looks like the lightning is hitting the house but it's hitting the Black Hills. The light show last night was just fantastic, and lasted for a couple hours.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-61445346052250518552011-06-20T11:40:00.001-06:002011-06-20T11:41:45.457-06:00June Wildflowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's raining, it's pouring...it's a good thing I finally got out for a drive with the camera Sat., because the break from the wind or overcast weather was short-lived. It doesn't feel like late June! Not that we aren't having sunshine...but to have sun and only a light breeze at the same time is rare so far. Have you ever tried to take wildflower photos in the wind? I drove along Elk Creek on the E edge of the Black Hills, and then further E just beyond the foothills....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNQpSRXWEbK7ehwfLV6MYY8Q1SBEjrBdtsTM8NheVj5EXe9ojqnw8LX7fQIg914UyXArh1yeDQKbZuB6PmHDI0TgvJHFFdp7MD6GAu861tQD9oATkuvYQM-5ikG0RsS5uvxyd4ju-y4c/s1600/030+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNQpSRXWEbK7ehwfLV6MYY8Q1SBEjrBdtsTM8NheVj5EXe9ojqnw8LX7fQIg914UyXArh1yeDQKbZuB6PmHDI0TgvJHFFdp7MD6GAu861tQD9oATkuvYQM-5ikG0RsS5uvxyd4ju-y4c/s400/030+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was pleasantly surprised to find a few black henbane plants along Elk Creek; I didn't see them last year in this area and the only place I have seen them would cost a small fortune in gas to visit. Black henbane is from the Potato Family, and is poisonous (foliage and seeds).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXvURhtI9F70RNsmv7RlfgLIpQgxITpKpWHhefuFvKBlqcKPKge2FKLZSIN0ohbbAGx9yhpX0O3g5ln9bL5aHaI5h1KECFPJ2ny_cA9nxWS1H86F__67db4c6iEdTRCAkxgrcCW0Of3Y/s1600/016+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXvURhtI9F70RNsmv7RlfgLIpQgxITpKpWHhefuFvKBlqcKPKge2FKLZSIN0ohbbAGx9yhpX0O3g5ln9bL5aHaI5h1KECFPJ2ny_cA9nxWS1H86F__67db4c6iEdTRCAkxgrcCW0Of3Y/s400/016+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stemless hymenoxys, a.k.a. butte marigold, grows abundantly in the Hills...from a distance or certain angles it does appear to not have a stem....from the Aster Family...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWH_wiGkWKlsrktKoKQwlxPmQwpORueS_HuJ2xGavv-KEBGpFxeDhuorejgYjNcGw0rYwJBwjipgWGoVpmzufEhwYEGAqptmb27KZphnVzBtIUSQexczKYk6UYd1XNFzvb1V2SLshfcA/s1600/DSC08618+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWH_wiGkWKlsrktKoKQwlxPmQwpORueS_HuJ2xGavv-KEBGpFxeDhuorejgYjNcGw0rYwJBwjipgWGoVpmzufEhwYEGAqptmb27KZphnVzBtIUSQexczKYk6UYd1XNFzvb1V2SLshfcA/s400/DSC08618+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dame's rocket is also common, and it is mostly not this purple color, it's a 'red' color that my cameras refuse to capture accurately...it's from the Mustard Family...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwCk71l7QgHHGQLmc-ki5S6tR3w08lS2oRKdi6qZBpyOn-PCZAv9njL-UlGXhsEr6BY4bWMB2KwZkQVUraaWjCp_NYjq2ZxqVpIOI7S0ImcRiivmwHpgDIsOrGGEFMzOUascHxRpxtPo/s1600/DSC08621+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwCk71l7QgHHGQLmc-ki5S6tR3w08lS2oRKdi6qZBpyOn-PCZAv9njL-UlGXhsEr6BY4bWMB2KwZkQVUraaWjCp_NYjq2ZxqVpIOI7S0ImcRiivmwHpgDIsOrGGEFMzOUascHxRpxtPo/s400/DSC08621+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Goatsbeard, or yellow salsify, another aster, is frequent in the Hills...ok, I refuse to use the four-lettered word "weed" to describe any wildflower..."weed" just means that a plant grows abundantly on roadsides...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIwPSsWNZGOFznKAk9I7plLGMtd9Od8TJOQOhTWTZcRoti-RQuMRHIy6nkJxCEFYPSqjnRJugzANpS9scleRJ90MmWM6rVpDJtr3HuTdz9WEiMGcVb53ZDhunUv0IrXP9ll1b3J9TAdM/s1600/018+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIwPSsWNZGOFznKAk9I7plLGMtd9Od8TJOQOhTWTZcRoti-RQuMRHIy6nkJxCEFYPSqjnRJugzANpS9scleRJ90MmWM6rVpDJtr3HuTdz9WEiMGcVb53ZDhunUv0IrXP9ll1b3J9TAdM/s400/018+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Blue penstemon, a.k.a. smooth beardtongue, is one of five penstemons growing in the Hills; they like the rocky roadsides like this red clay landscape. They're a figwort. A poultice of the leaves was used by some Native American tribes to treat snake bite, and tea from the leaves was drunk to inhibit vomiting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZbqbwQlpl7Y8WF3jIqheIyEzqlJg_Cl_LFlQajeab4FTRjWOiaOBFnQfGaL-hvy5p_46HofsH30hNJCZORL7ejxtaOsgDqRzbJiGL89m75-uAoAyYP9pCzLs-OT0LfvoPQmQ4qve8h8/s1600/019+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZbqbwQlpl7Y8WF3jIqheIyEzqlJg_Cl_LFlQajeab4FTRjWOiaOBFnQfGaL-hvy5p_46HofsH30hNJCZORL7ejxtaOsgDqRzbJiGL89m75-uAoAyYP9pCzLs-OT0LfvoPQmQ4qve8h8/s400/019+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elk Creek from a cement bridge that crosses it along Bethlehem Rd....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xACUfjn6F066h_iXpFUtzF6voz6jyIhj_2Hwbs5TwJjdxT8CmavBcLuSannqzplHQaHsUvmFrz18JvjXa8j9sAQSKTS9FgUxLft9VXNHeyNejtN4yi0vM6aVNmmzNYkmhMWOh1p2c60/s1600/033+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xACUfjn6F066h_iXpFUtzF6voz6jyIhj_2Hwbs5TwJjdxT8CmavBcLuSannqzplHQaHsUvmFrz18JvjXa8j9sAQSKTS9FgUxLft9VXNHeyNejtN4yi0vM6aVNmmzNYkmhMWOh1p2c60/s400/033+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dalmatian toadflax, another figwort. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8fWJ6aBwECckOJIiZSjjdVzal2ARqd3zzPcASEounzrZ9yCcvlemo1k8V0C79h3TN0o_lo-EgQpBoHyfdgyXlp6h2qdY2gXzWzF_5gc5_7QilIKWQ41M5bld1NISsbSi5z6Ep8Jl3qg/s1600/046+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8fWJ6aBwECckOJIiZSjjdVzal2ARqd3zzPcASEounzrZ9yCcvlemo1k8V0C79h3TN0o_lo-EgQpBoHyfdgyXlp6h2qdY2gXzWzF_5gc5_7QilIKWQ41M5bld1NISsbSi5z6Ep8Jl3qg/s400/046+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hound's tongue, or gypsyflower, is from the Borage Family...not hard to figure out why it's called hound's tongue...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y29MgIIfs66xRpS_JkuLLJa2vA3MnCRnKraoCJJOQ2WNBkbexInTp4JVn37OsjvwB_dnrZKtUqLmjK3ZzOkkV6SQXaZkRX3whEwMNGQ1atMgWvFrn1qslgK7yyv7vnPlaak3TlrbQ0Q/s1600/051+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y29MgIIfs66xRpS_JkuLLJa2vA3MnCRnKraoCJJOQ2WNBkbexInTp4JVn37OsjvwB_dnrZKtUqLmjK3ZzOkkV6SQXaZkRX3whEwMNGQ1atMgWvFrn1qslgK7yyv7vnPlaak3TlrbQ0Q/s400/051+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">White campion is, confusingly, from the Pink Family, and a real headache to get a clear photo of (like many wildflowers)...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW92yeqQIV7DMrF1KWIV4l2rqw1Qb1jZmwXErmnkX6rwSmC40rpFb_MTTcrKqAFuS1xNBIWuMku8Vc_hnf7YD5KQ5C0qCYNJ1O9xkikLkVlZCcmLWOmit0fVGSec2tWnSw9YE5E4wxUkY/s1600/055+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW92yeqQIV7DMrF1KWIV4l2rqw1Qb1jZmwXErmnkX6rwSmC40rpFb_MTTcrKqAFuS1xNBIWuMku8Vc_hnf7YD5KQ5C0qCYNJ1O9xkikLkVlZCcmLWOmit0fVGSec2tWnSw9YE5E4wxUkY/s400/055+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my favorites, red (or wild) columbine, is a buttercup...my BH field guide says they're frequent at low to mid elev. in the E Hills but I would disagree. I know two places they grow. Certain Native Americans used crushed seeds as a perfume and love charm. :o)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8hwpOaBxjwEqet4K7oAIza1JiHBRaNpWY5NXAbisCVS_PFjafrwHth1maqbwkqHCJbM76MaUkXOgLXQX5rdGMZvtB3BirUrE1Abzv9HdlB9H1Xp24LjzQOU1rEe9uJAM6oRisaqk6mg/s1600/075+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8hwpOaBxjwEqet4K7oAIza1JiHBRaNpWY5NXAbisCVS_PFjafrwHth1maqbwkqHCJbM76MaUkXOgLXQX5rdGMZvtB3BirUrE1Abzv9HdlB9H1Xp24LjzQOU1rEe9uJAM6oRisaqk6mg/s400/075+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I've reached the dry, rocky landscape E of the Hills...where the white milkwort grows. The Sioux used it to treat earache, and was traded among Plains Indians as a medicine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7VNSBLxDhtuNZNKXDG7aGUOW24qk5nOX-ZwZDjVzrBO_gnJAQdBJiifuWH1DGmmP-0-Nhd3LTIYZl9ThaQ_hDSvzJjWSBfipcbmDdSqhX_2a1746HZLMOhAzAfzlKmL6DrvNcVapJ1E/s1600/072+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7VNSBLxDhtuNZNKXDG7aGUOW24qk5nOX-ZwZDjVzrBO_gnJAQdBJiifuWH1DGmmP-0-Nhd3LTIYZl9ThaQ_hDSvzJjWSBfipcbmDdSqhX_2a1746HZLMOhAzAfzlKmL6DrvNcVapJ1E/s400/072+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wouldn't you know, W. South Dakota doesn't have the brilliant red paintbrush, it has downy paintbrush (above) and sulfur paintbrush (pale green). Oh well, it's still an interesting, unique flower. Yet another Figwort Family member. Downy paintbrush is common in native grasslands across the N. plains.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtGoltcpsOIQlT_Pv8233Ilpz_W6HZPSJSJ5rrlSOUZAkRQMgALl2H9rd-aQXC-8rq6mHt5O_GZSMR_ltXo4JnRaBrHsfX0GQhqVZWE55Oppx6euWMYXGarv9kf3heBzkddA0-X16nR4/s1600/082+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtGoltcpsOIQlT_Pv8233Ilpz_W6HZPSJSJ5rrlSOUZAkRQMgALl2H9rd-aQXC-8rq6mHt5O_GZSMR_ltXo4JnRaBrHsfX0GQhqVZWE55Oppx6euWMYXGarv9kf3heBzkddA0-X16nR4/s400/082+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yellow wild buckwheat is one of two attractive buckwheats that grow in this area. Its flowers are supposed to be excellent for honey production.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pD5oMGkoQlvr8v1PXBY-KLS38OMsC0r5tyy5NWmNWH2zQQRP8LICMiAW4cX7hxW_bhqes9hWG0d438XvT9uvqyuGQ54nXCr-Qs0VE-lQAfHt944TVez4N7FauthO7-z9x4l6mjx8I_w/s1600/086+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pD5oMGkoQlvr8v1PXBY-KLS38OMsC0r5tyy5NWmNWH2zQQRP8LICMiAW4cX7hxW_bhqes9hWG0d438XvT9uvqyuGQ54nXCr-Qs0VE-lQAfHt944TVez4N7FauthO7-z9x4l6mjx8I_w/s400/086+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lambert crazyweed, a.k.a. purple locoweed, is from the Legume Family. Lots of legumes grow in the Black Hills and surrounding areas...this is the most common crazyweed in N. Plains grasslands.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYS9JqiN6zqiHt-Oz97MifDxgG-AMI1K5clu92BfjplIhIqN6G1skWiq-lcDX4aH6PW3mcvgkDKkY3xM6lWvp00CpY1AjwtRUHz_KCHLWw7drJ46n4RId2KXmnNLx1G00m-c-9SQ8Srw/s1600/090+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYS9JqiN6zqiHt-Oz97MifDxgG-AMI1K5clu92BfjplIhIqN6G1skWiq-lcDX4aH6PW3mcvgkDKkY3xM6lWvp00CpY1AjwtRUHz_KCHLWw7drJ46n4RId2KXmnNLx1G00m-c-9SQ8Srw/s400/090+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div>Found outside of the actual Hills, desert plume, or golden prince's plume, is not noted in my BH "botany Bible" as I call it. Another plant I had previously had to travel several miles to find, this one in the S region of the foothills, so I was happy to find it last year close to home along a farm road. It's a mustard.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw1X9Tl0ykbBA_4QvIFD3TAj2Tg02KEL83DcphbHMbBzXDDSuoV9R-58BRWi-VaV6Adb1PXD2cnC5nQC9Z2Y-tApZDkZpGrctW7PER1GcRX7CUmw4UX_5JvVuElL_MoL_9W1UcvoYWEA/s1600/093+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw1X9Tl0ykbBA_4QvIFD3TAj2Tg02KEL83DcphbHMbBzXDDSuoV9R-58BRWi-VaV6Adb1PXD2cnC5nQC9Z2Y-tApZDkZpGrctW7PER1GcRX7CUmw4UX_5JvVuElL_MoL_9W1UcvoYWEA/s400/093+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div>Butte candle, from the Borage Family. These are just a few of so many wildflowers that grow in this area. June and July are the main months that they grow. A few grow in April, May, and Aug., and by Sept. they're all gone. Ugh.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-16949022924549283072011-06-04T14:14:00.001-06:002011-06-04T14:26:07.027-06:00Around the Pond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much for spring...we had a whole month of colder-than-usual, wetter-than-usual spring weather for the month of May and this weekend we've jumped right into summer with temps some days in the higher 80's F. Not that this is unusual here in S Dakota (at least not in the past seven years)! The plains winds are as wiley as usual so it makes it hard to get out w/ the camera despite the nice temp. I'm having issues with my Blog right now, but hopefully it'll resolve itself soon...anyway, thank you for the recent comments, I do really enjoy and appreciate them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was asked if the mariposa lily grows in the Badlands...not that I've seen, but the gumbo lily does.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the final photos from my recent drive E of the Hills, out around the farms/ranches...I left off near 'the pond' that I was heading for via the backroads..... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7N4kDcYtKTlByTYztStCyFHhX_bn2eEmfcmSx4GU2QeRXqxmhZfWSXH3RoIbXrEXeDEXlbiFfli7Nu72CIs9hqXlO8ugT1s0YkdogAFBOaRIAWi6BFqS8NqEsBhQ9NtEFMhQQyoByvI/s1600/DSC08572+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7N4kDcYtKTlByTYztStCyFHhX_bn2eEmfcmSx4GU2QeRXqxmhZfWSXH3RoIbXrEXeDEXlbiFfli7Nu72CIs9hqXlO8ugT1s0YkdogAFBOaRIAWi6BFqS8NqEsBhQ9NtEFMhQQyoByvI/s400/DSC08572+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another bird commonly seen in the grasslands, in summer, is the lark bunting...they're always seen in groups, paired up on the wires (below)...the male is black, female light brown...these birds will follow you down the road if you're driving slow trying to get photos....they keep flying away, landing, flying away...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcSl3JCanfTx9rnzKz_s1pEvQqZKSkOXzSOC-RLy2_2GsC-K1O_ITJXbh_tv98IjF5tp40GrDE802ywtoS9bYiY4X-HZ5uBqXVAsiqFm1zg2nbC02l9ceabScfg1rrISIMygh7YfP5hg/s1600/DSC08579+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcSl3JCanfTx9rnzKz_s1pEvQqZKSkOXzSOC-RLy2_2GsC-K1O_ITJXbh_tv98IjF5tp40GrDE802ywtoS9bYiY4X-HZ5uBqXVAsiqFm1zg2nbC02l9ceabScfg1rrISIMygh7YfP5hg/s400/DSC08579+%25282%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLZIKyC-j9TRg-y1aqgU6C1r3oudwXWKPrXFQSeQtWuyNyPwsmC9pT2dMftsbt6w_QBChyip_MKXkZx7Np3bgJkbJOTgKhuoZllqstz4CJ4pcBNfMcmvwvWkTS4b5D-9BZn8sB2wR9eo/s1600/DSC08569+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLZIKyC-j9TRg-y1aqgU6C1r3oudwXWKPrXFQSeQtWuyNyPwsmC9pT2dMftsbt6w_QBChyip_MKXkZx7Np3bgJkbJOTgKhuoZllqstz4CJ4pcBNfMcmvwvWkTS4b5D-9BZn8sB2wR9eo/s400/DSC08569+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The upland sandpiper is a lot less skittish; it's hell-bent on doing its head-bobbing ritual (mating display?), like a robot moving in slow-mo...I still can't get over how out-of-place this bird looks, far from any shoreline...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG40jmXPxuAZG-25EwvudBNWsrWQ8C_S52BeDAmIWRaeKIV9LRolFNbLuM_NXh0e7dtAmvYKZ8OH97OiCOCR95rsMheNzkI8HI7CPxNBhlqrKLUw3gEAptvuwfuLQNfDjLP1Iyc_K-ec/s1600/DSC08563+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG40jmXPxuAZG-25EwvudBNWsrWQ8C_S52BeDAmIWRaeKIV9LRolFNbLuM_NXh0e7dtAmvYKZ8OH97OiCOCR95rsMheNzkI8HI7CPxNBhlqrKLUw3gEAptvuwfuLQNfDjLP1Iyc_K-ec/s400/DSC08563+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the pond, the yellow-headed blackbirds are back for the summer as well...they nest in the tall pond grasses along the water's edge...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0iBChwjkmyjxBDfteu9xQmmsd8vLUt1RM-QVZ4nlJrfljNDks2d6yi9PDCQXaHj10FJ7y5kcraUGbiF9GcUtLSwKzE1oLAYeKTuSygbuVo6YT0L21OTZuj3fbD44Yu0INve7c9nX2Xc/s1600/DSC08558+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0iBChwjkmyjxBDfteu9xQmmsd8vLUt1RM-QVZ4nlJrfljNDks2d6yi9PDCQXaHj10FJ7y5kcraUGbiF9GcUtLSwKzE1oLAYeKTuSygbuVo6YT0L21OTZuj3fbD44Yu0INve7c9nX2Xc/s400/DSC08558+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The same goes for the eared grebes...last yr they built nests on top of the marsh grasses near the shore by the road but this year the dead reeds were all chopped down...but nice to see them anyway (see side bar for last yr photo of nesting grebe).....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Happy early summer, everyone! Hopefully I'll get out w/ the camera again soon...I've got a mental list of places I want to go this summer...gotta pick and choose due to these gas prices...Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-77799568505321415552011-05-31T08:10:00.005-06:002011-06-01T17:34:27.646-06:00A Fowl Moment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The sun is out and I'm sooo tempted to go for another drive but the wind is blowing pretty good, supposed to get 40 mph gusts today...welcome to the high plains...I do have two more sets of photos to post from my previous drive out E of the Hills among the farms and ranches, a few days ago...I was heading for what I refer to as 'the pond', tooling along southward..... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyTKm8qi8HAfyX7Y5rNrB3qIHumTyvy057SEmAreIyt2YallaW_H1by8oBOz8EohO5Vl6tr9ap3zKPOvzK90xBuVIz-eBOO9cJSk4_oXFxaKr0Tpfj_a2c0laieGdu5et7oTB-GzKb3s/s1600/DSC08468+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyTKm8qi8HAfyX7Y5rNrB3qIHumTyvy057SEmAreIyt2YallaW_H1by8oBOz8EohO5Vl6tr9ap3zKPOvzK90xBuVIz-eBOO9cJSk4_oXFxaKr0Tpfj_a2c0laieGdu5et7oTB-GzKb3s/s400/DSC08468+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...when I spotted this fellow flitting about in a small tree...I took several photos as it bounced around, ignoring me, but none of them came out real sharp, doesn't it figure?? The yellow warbler isn't one to pose nicely...but I did get my best shots so far...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36TKKaSlZ8tGLAAT3mKz01KZMxP2hvgnOFCQzxIGuOnw0CH0PQbJe9GXIwqzlfSFDW4ZhqHMenxacxfAqphLNcEylRFnATDa4ngx2urrms7sidvnzdn30EE1wKwnkUx3-zjUMM0YG6rQ/s1600/DSC08491+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36TKKaSlZ8tGLAAT3mKz01KZMxP2hvgnOFCQzxIGuOnw0CH0PQbJe9GXIwqzlfSFDW4ZhqHMenxacxfAqphLNcEylRFnATDa4ngx2urrms7sidvnzdn30EE1wKwnkUx3-zjUMM0YG6rQ/s400/DSC08491+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...I just love birds on a wire...they're even neater when one discovers they've never actually ID'd one before...all the sparrows I've seen in the grasslands that look like this, I've ID'd as the grasshopper sparrow, but lo and behold, we also have the vesper sparrow here, easy to ID by the clay-colored patch on its wing, as you can just make out on the right side here...if it were singing I'd of known better too, cause the grasshopper sparrow gets its name from the fact it sounds a lot like a grasshopper (really cool but weird!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE99ZZzb2CDSz1vf71ExGSaZ6JwB5ajtqHIWFsv-YHcxb2bJJ1NJI6rxIsthMzSQVY1M1MljwjlqYWpbmwPc6rMlFFY9gWMH95Z7hjqSFyZ0-_nO6tC0wf4pXn19lrJTcoDw0gbGrtV2s/s1600/DSC08394+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE99ZZzb2CDSz1vf71ExGSaZ6JwB5ajtqHIWFsv-YHcxb2bJJ1NJI6rxIsthMzSQVY1M1MljwjlqYWpbmwPc6rMlFFY9gWMH95Z7hjqSFyZ0-_nO6tC0wf4pXn19lrJTcoDw0gbGrtV2s/s400/DSC08394+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...then there's cows between wires...I also love the sarcastic look that the cattle seem to have as they eyeball me as I pass by...Calf #952 was munching a dandelion...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklp1tVo6076U75AM5qzvB8rGJy7WnTHkfY-aDGZKilaN1PfilPC3O1JDyM0r-yIjpTCoKOYFRwWcsbNk91K8efc5u6eSTS04SCHaCN8uXWHI03P__CNvPxfIlVJn8qSbQzJYbLWlUEOw/s1600/DSC08500+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklp1tVo6076U75AM5qzvB8rGJy7WnTHkfY-aDGZKilaN1PfilPC3O1JDyM0r-yIjpTCoKOYFRwWcsbNk91K8efc5u6eSTS04SCHaCN8uXWHI03P__CNvPxfIlVJn8qSbQzJYbLWlUEOw/s400/DSC08500+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Seen thru the wire, 'two' does near a crop of trees by a farm...as it turned out, there were several does...they all got up in alarm when I stopped for a photo...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfnwLlClZG836xBnhGdaWo-NuFTvMGIzrxkW2IGcvE6acOwYpgkwK0uHBxOqRVmdHluyjs5xNhWw1FRn7irIAGAbgE2D6AFsatjSL8BhPCWg37oWYGXWpTEdtFkolf02xx2YCFRPen1E/s1600/DSC08508+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfnwLlClZG836xBnhGdaWo-NuFTvMGIzrxkW2IGcvE6acOwYpgkwK0uHBxOqRVmdHluyjs5xNhWw1FRn7irIAGAbgE2D6AFsatjSL8BhPCWg37oWYGXWpTEdtFkolf02xx2YCFRPen1E/s400/DSC08508+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...The male meadowlarks are still defending their territories...I think this is the closest I've been to one and got photos...he wasn't backing down..."Just move along sister!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcGmMEvnRDioR5xcHgXDtejKhn-fVcCUggYg14d7jsY7IkaeE7UJjkzJ0MnsQZvWXDszbenlhgY2wix4twtqf3ucGvr0OxHb8go7WUpIVQBk2KyZ2qnMAe2Ww1i3iQNp3Gtx_epT8wYA/s1600/DSC08521+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcGmMEvnRDioR5xcHgXDtejKhn-fVcCUggYg14d7jsY7IkaeE7UJjkzJ0MnsQZvWXDszbenlhgY2wix4twtqf3ucGvr0OxHb8go7WUpIVQBk2KyZ2qnMAe2Ww1i3iQNp3Gtx_epT8wYA/s400/DSC08521+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">WHAT THE...???!! Ok, I've driven down this lane past a particular farm house several times...it's where I spotted my first/last lazuli bunting...and I'd never seen THIS bizzare bird! I knew right off it had to be from some other country...I saw two in a corral area, two on the road I had to wait for to move out of the way...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmBWZBu7_YRtmlpjFIpvLSbnGXUVq06TBpE2EdjbMoufOordoaRCFIH3s0CfBtsJvsWKNN80FIPI_4li7RoZuTs5z73RwFP9fgFnVQaCP1JqbRmB5rnIBS3sDzpHoWQQBHZVDxFfPy-E/s1600/DSC08527+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmBWZBu7_YRtmlpjFIpvLSbnGXUVq06TBpE2EdjbMoufOordoaRCFIH3s0CfBtsJvsWKNN80FIPI_4li7RoZuTs5z73RwFP9fgFnVQaCP1JqbRmB5rnIBS3sDzpHoWQQBHZVDxFfPy-E/s400/DSC08527+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...A face only a mother could love, huh? I surfed the web and found out this is a helmeted guineafowl from Africa...brought to the US to control ticks...my dad would love those body feathers for fly tying...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6MhO0lM7qUo9Y_00WvvudLgOHJ-fEGrxKrKFyvO2r7doaAyiNysuBH-9PIh6chd_vb2ZZKlLJRlkaEKwM-jdrv3sRYkGrLdXMdrGSwgMhd-G89RB3zWJHuoIkE1u95gurbvBtlkEDa4/s1600/DSC08530+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6MhO0lM7qUo9Y_00WvvudLgOHJ-fEGrxKrKFyvO2r7doaAyiNysuBH-9PIh6chd_vb2ZZKlLJRlkaEKwM-jdrv3sRYkGrLdXMdrGSwgMhd-G89RB3zWJHuoIkE1u95gurbvBtlkEDa4/s400/DSC08530+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 'fowl' farm is near Elk Creek Rd., which 'the pond' is on...the bobolinks like this area and I was expecting to seem them...they're very hard to get photos of...they're only here in summer...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxT3UMN0aN-KYlBjGYfdhBLHKKkAmmkCdlcaO4CxiK6X9-t0E4jaz94G9F_tRj1zYGeKtbviLaGS7ZqiXRnaJNWM68eaeNROfagbuUyuZbJBzS4aVinabyGmcQZ7wP5Y8bMK998OCbPo/s1600/DSC08536+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxT3UMN0aN-KYlBjGYfdhBLHKKkAmmkCdlcaO4CxiK6X9-t0E4jaz94G9F_tRj1zYGeKtbviLaGS7ZqiXRnaJNWM68eaeNROfagbuUyuZbJBzS4aVinabyGmcQZ7wP5Y8bMK998OCbPo/s400/DSC08536+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>Near the pond, the killdeer are also back...last year I got some good shots of a killdeer that actually came towards me...this one gave me the cold..uh..'shoulder'....<br />
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Next I'll post Part III of my last outing, birds around the pond....Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-26057209332521554092011-05-27T09:29:00.005-06:002011-05-27T10:19:44.877-06:00Birds on a Wire...and Other Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're having a cold, wet spring, ARG! The weather improved late morning yesterday, so I grabbed the camera and took a drive, a sort of long, narrow '0' circle north thru the Hills and south-ish thru the grasslands/farming community just E of the Hills...this is bird season to be sure so I was hopeful...the weather fluxed between sunny and cloudy...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5dfFmTPUw91Eq3mnghxfEiyKWndNI7J2kCojE39BLn-r-zfy1WsO01GqzPzCmys3LZpTYOwi7N59rHcgAD-OT27CtB2YjveiPGpHxdFzXGCMkPx9HG_3Y7t72dQ1hUgk_r28LEne9gs/s1600/DSC08303+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5dfFmTPUw91Eq3mnghxfEiyKWndNI7J2kCojE39BLn-r-zfy1WsO01GqzPzCmys3LZpTYOwi7N59rHcgAD-OT27CtB2YjveiPGpHxdFzXGCMkPx9HG_3Y7t72dQ1hUgk_r28LEne9gs/s400/DSC08303+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First up, a black-billed magpie on a post...then it flew to a nearby wagon...no problem 'Finding Nemo' here, Nemo's a small, rustic town in the E Hills...no clown fish in the creek but the magpies seem to enjoy this spot...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0YQx2O_KL7VlnwmWPfyJfifk4A3oD8gfHHxJH0ZwP3Tc4QHw2Zn4Lbktqr4L3ZiDNOeXr-OaRtPxFNuzoa_VBDHF6mJ2GqQFNngOdwnbAkbGpP5LZe8Er3oBzWTACvGsvVfvL8eDayQ/s1600/DSC08325+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0YQx2O_KL7VlnwmWPfyJfifk4A3oD8gfHHxJH0ZwP3Tc4QHw2Zn4Lbktqr4L3ZiDNOeXr-OaRtPxFNuzoa_VBDHF6mJ2GqQFNngOdwnbAkbGpP5LZe8Er3oBzWTACvGsvVfvL8eDayQ/s400/DSC08325+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just outside of Nemo is the S entrance to Vanocker Canyon...I stopped along Elk Creek at a bird-loving spot (very skittish birds but I keep trying)...the creek was gushing hard due to all the rain we've had. I spotted this elusive American redstart, along with a BC chickadee, and nearby a flitty female common yellowthroat...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibggM3iD5NmW0gZnLvf0QpOBt-7nT37s7jZNYjD0NHTMl3bnKaJVd2zigmvtgNOz8d_iZVLCnyRhYGmVchUkvd98u93hbVanaI_5PGKVFdw6zQwjjIcW_C-cq6kucFjm0u5SmD4QMTjZY/s1600/DSC08347+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibggM3iD5NmW0gZnLvf0QpOBt-7nT37s7jZNYjD0NHTMl3bnKaJVd2zigmvtgNOz8d_iZVLCnyRhYGmVchUkvd98u93hbVanaI_5PGKVFdw6zQwjjIcW_C-cq6kucFjm0u5SmD4QMTjZY/s400/DSC08347+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A willow flycatcher posed nicely for me...this could also be a W wood peewee but they're larger of the two so I'm guessing this is the WF, which is very common in the US...both are tyrant flycatchers...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqQ5BdCRxiBs7XWIOURzKngk1lIHrii7XYRs_nm7d4dJUSRnGIpr28CoghOkuOikoeCi2FVvpGRoJm9psk97rBD7LtR0wTJMlz7rDmG-tKZ1f5sODrjc7i6PMxVWM7-pxVVxC1k5yO4k/s1600/DSC08369+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqQ5BdCRxiBs7XWIOURzKngk1lIHrii7XYRs_nm7d4dJUSRnGIpr28CoghOkuOikoeCi2FVvpGRoJm9psk97rBD7LtR0wTJMlz7rDmG-tKZ1f5sODrjc7i6PMxVWM7-pxVVxC1k5yO4k/s400/DSC08369+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Further into the farm grasslands, I quickly discovered that there is a great abundance of both kingbirds this year...last year I hardly saw any of the W kingbirds (above) at all...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomVLL2hqAA8Dqt4xIchR5xFUA5pTLCc0IYFrr0i4-rmxGXi7jJ8XU8sOFaHVVaSPCAvVpcHBymRerCEeQYZlj71NWPkSRljzrMrzDF5o2c_nJqq5RRWmSwab9k6O2c_3swmACHPZ_N6s/s1600/DSC08404+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomVLL2hqAA8Dqt4xIchR5xFUA5pTLCc0IYFrr0i4-rmxGXi7jJ8XU8sOFaHVVaSPCAvVpcHBymRerCEeQYZlj71NWPkSRljzrMrzDF5o2c_nJqq5RRWmSwab9k6O2c_3swmACHPZ_N6s/s400/DSC08404+%25282%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The E kingbird doesn't mind posing, too bad it wasn't the right light...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O5hcG0UxOC6nxOkbR5PPugNR4xODPal1GdDyMdrb5nKNDfDwaOGZV7eLBuBxKrBe0BXrAxyw1BWuy_empdRCjngUY9NCJ6PC06VWPGocohr1caM_A234_CEZaRurmlc8eni8T2VUMCc/s1600/DSC08410+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O5hcG0UxOC6nxOkbR5PPugNR4xODPal1GdDyMdrb5nKNDfDwaOGZV7eLBuBxKrBe0BXrAxyw1BWuy_empdRCjngUY9NCJ6PC06VWPGocohr1caM_A234_CEZaRurmlc8eni8T2VUMCc/s400/DSC08410+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The mourning doves were out mourning.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preferrably alone...oops, my bad....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCjHjCuFGXfWECsQoVQGjvmWZHOKK_b0FvDi-pav-IfZhQFfo0wuS_ni5gZ7fLeiEtAqAoqPPORKU6t0WXaiYHR8Q4MGstALg4k8CjtghhJURXmV8FkZGeMyvwyzTARTh4dXriHgVukw/s1600/DSC08412+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCjHjCuFGXfWECsQoVQGjvmWZHOKK_b0FvDi-pav-IfZhQFfo0wuS_ni5gZ7fLeiEtAqAoqPPORKU6t0WXaiYHR8Q4MGstALg4k8CjtghhJURXmV8FkZGeMyvwyzTARTh4dXriHgVukw/s400/DSC08412+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZffXnX9Cy3uywhc_JRrpKDVEM9zKyoH5sMQZbBQX8Gl86v28JB33pUUGpP2S1oICDHTaaQU3HbiolpZgw6_cpd3Yc3IrvxoAuOU9aMZv02Wu13biLBaLG8h6eNT8uZkYwWdw4RpCfLjs/s1600/DSC08427+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZffXnX9Cy3uywhc_JRrpKDVEM9zKyoH5sMQZbBQX8Gl86v28JB33pUUGpP2S1oICDHTaaQU3HbiolpZgw6_cpd3Yc3IrvxoAuOU9aMZv02Wu13biLBaLG8h6eNT8uZkYwWdw4RpCfLjs/s400/DSC08427+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's always an abundance of Brewer's blackbirds...easily ID'd by the yellow eye...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ6hiZibiqh4fpwpHbsZWY_QpkJnmdMvcQT53EoeahsQ3C2hNPXeS8Frx3DEL-gUNwFc-BBggKJkodkjJed5x_DeVsybAR7MF1hw1cuKz7WN0rDKskaBlLUwZKElrsuv1hNU1hWL4Omc/s1600/DSC08464+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ6hiZibiqh4fpwpHbsZWY_QpkJnmdMvcQT53EoeahsQ3C2hNPXeS8Frx3DEL-gUNwFc-BBggKJkodkjJed5x_DeVsybAR7MF1hw1cuKz7WN0rDKskaBlLUwZKElrsuv1hNU1hWL4Omc/s400/DSC08464+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>Thru the wire...a trio of mallards near the farmhouse where I saw my first/last lazuli bunting last year...this year I discovered a bizzare lifer at this farm, that is far from its native land....stay tuned!Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-31707008305934117052011-05-21T08:38:00.003-06:002011-05-21T08:52:42.401-06:00Good Day, Goldie!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First of all, please ignore the changes to my Blog design...I got to playing with things and I cannot get the header photo to appear right...it's huge and off center so I've had to remove it. Sigh! Shrink-to-fit is not doing its job!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyhow, we had a nice surprise at the feeders yesterday...several goldfinches descended upon our springy green back yard, and chowed down. My first set of photos were mostly a bust, taken thru the glass on top of the late afternoon light, but the 2nd time I got this lone male, below, when the light was better....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvHaZzanyV-G6LDw5Yb8PowHfQP6LEXmUgYbO3l3P4kfg5saLDg7Gf9KELjgHN8zpSHbNnGQIY0j1R40YxBmaLVPU0R2a6YS_9zc6kFrzZZiU3za8OY7P4Z61dYtAwWcRYTTiH5hTDA8/s1600/DSC08130+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvHaZzanyV-G6LDw5Yb8PowHfQP6LEXmUgYbO3l3P4kfg5saLDg7Gf9KELjgHN8zpSHbNnGQIY0j1R40YxBmaLVPU0R2a6YS_9zc6kFrzZZiU3za8OY7P4Z61dYtAwWcRYTTiH5hTDA8/s400/DSC08130+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Three males and two females...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvyFiQHs5tV3SfcokZWtQJ0bjGnkzc6W6ost1jIoHPEQiNSxff9BWQpx0_HXVNsEKFn_L1aBkceUCZXK_nyfCAi2OjzLTqDMGihNeXvDNmLzRDjsKDdpR9mqtbniht3sJGiKsG2T0e78/s1600/DSC08152+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvyFiQHs5tV3SfcokZWtQJ0bjGnkzc6W6ost1jIoHPEQiNSxff9BWQpx0_HXVNsEKFn_L1aBkceUCZXK_nyfCAi2OjzLTqDMGihNeXvDNmLzRDjsKDdpR9mqtbniht3sJGiKsG2T0e78/s400/DSC08152+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAgQvieeap0FCEk_rzSlnarnSIc6Lh2gnl74YqgjxPrR-DjCbGeeER8m6Va9N6cK97jB9VSG1FcClTrrs_jsia3wHOrgMf-aY_VcRxls6x0cyRjECSLsCHlPCWP8C9St_j8O9MCziC9s/s1600/DSC08162+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAgQvieeap0FCEk_rzSlnarnSIc6Lh2gnl74YqgjxPrR-DjCbGeeER8m6Va9N6cK97jB9VSG1FcClTrrs_jsia3wHOrgMf-aY_VcRxls6x0cyRjECSLsCHlPCWP8C9St_j8O9MCziC9s/s400/DSC08162+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not a sharp photo but you can see the pretty wing pattern before this boy shoots down to the seeds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JMj32OMovULTFDtgDjFWNLlBCSOS603C0OQOQadTE6EzXZbkfKJKvaUy3vqpolho7t86ahfk0e4f12-iFC9T54HmFY2T4IFFhargNZOtLxxMYMfjYqD5FBm2cP1dXUfNHBuk-UxaF98/s1600/DSC08065+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JMj32OMovULTFDtgDjFWNLlBCSOS603C0OQOQadTE6EzXZbkfKJKvaUy3vqpolho7t86ahfk0e4f12-iFC9T54HmFY2T4IFFhargNZOtLxxMYMfjYqD5FBm2cP1dXUfNHBuk-UxaF98/s400/DSC08065+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We get plenty of house finches at the feeders, but they seemed leery of the goldfinches...and the dang blackbirds and cowbirds are spooking all of the smaller birds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhJYHCbXu66aV9JrZJhJfh3aKJJfOH2B2Tx_GKivVu3Zw6cEBKnqjqwUbMvR7bTHyG-V2BSZpLXzelfqEy-yIIlhGBecoxMzG513RqLQHLPyYpuS7mivy8cprNFRsaTkTswkZzl6_eSU/s1600/DSC08072+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhJYHCbXu66aV9JrZJhJfh3aKJJfOH2B2Tx_GKivVu3Zw6cEBKnqjqwUbMvR7bTHyG-V2BSZpLXzelfqEy-yIIlhGBecoxMzG513RqLQHLPyYpuS7mivy8cprNFRsaTkTswkZzl6_eSU/s400/DSC08072+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div>A female brown-headed cowbird at the bird bath.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRClBtAEQoTlsn0ezevRei9Y0Y0_6aRWZK4VmjEi2NtFSfMMzuGnzeBk4Q8duFfPsqr1w3fi0LBStk5zkPllr67_CzdbZTYl6acKN_3td8QWxpNNYh1Gl2iJYUgSXAGgRWSVgKGXILE50/s1600/DSC07616+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRClBtAEQoTlsn0ezevRei9Y0Y0_6aRWZK4VmjEi2NtFSfMMzuGnzeBk4Q8duFfPsqr1w3fi0LBStk5zkPllr67_CzdbZTYl6acKN_3td8QWxpNNYh1Gl2iJYUgSXAGgRWSVgKGXILE50/s400/DSC07616+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div>The house sparrows are really scarce this year so far, but I do see one male and female once in awhile.<br />
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We also have a Mt. bluebird pair nesting in a neighbor's bird house, that make an appearance at the back neighbors' fences, but I haven't seen them at the bird bath as yet.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-28219982338220299672011-05-13T19:27:00.000-06:002011-05-13T19:27:32.046-06:00The Pasqueflower Promise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHUVRakeDzwDEoXVbXV1kJrgpijm3oJA9Knrp-gqAt1sRLFZDc10nnzzd4bn5xvlJ0GSQk6DxrpTLAyd8gx3Hzgwp2eaiDj9-1gsBJJB84mlB2SX5NtZHFoIbPpk305nBeltoKBIK9yY/s1600/010+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHUVRakeDzwDEoXVbXV1kJrgpijm3oJA9Knrp-gqAt1sRLFZDc10nnzzd4bn5xvlJ0GSQk6DxrpTLAyd8gx3Hzgwp2eaiDj9-1gsBJJB84mlB2SX5NtZHFoIbPpk305nBeltoKBIK9yY/s400/010+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The sun finally peeked out of the clouds today around 11 AM, so I called a friend who's off work a few weeks recouping from back surgery (a second one, ARG!)...and we hit the road for Hwy 385 (the only paved route that runs the entire length of the Black Hills), taking a round about way to the Sugar Shack, our favorite burger joint. My friend J. mentioned she tried to find the pasqueflower recently but didn't see it. The flower is significant to us both because it's the state flower, and it's pretty much the first of the more showy early spring flowers to bloom after the looong winters here. I told her I'd found pasqueflowers last year on the hillside right at the turn-off for the boat launch area at Pactola Lake, so, stuffed to the brim with burger, fries, and soda, we waddled back to the car and headed further south to the point of interest. The flowers were there, the wind was blowing, but I managed a couple ok shots. The pasqueflower seems like proof, or a promise, that summer is finally on its way!Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-12035968927298273332011-05-07T17:56:00.000-06:002011-05-07T17:56:16.909-06:00Happy Mother's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBivywhLawQ3VWrYnduaCPE_RL0I4X9O9kfrKYEqtCYDq7PhXHkh7DwxrmKm3QshJ1x_GbX16YGK_AAiNuU8i3qYJn3KWePAiZy5X4khSwPWtSRPYCN4NsVZkEE571G6aB-cWGsG-wi0/s1600/004+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBivywhLawQ3VWrYnduaCPE_RL0I4X9O9kfrKYEqtCYDq7PhXHkh7DwxrmKm3QshJ1x_GbX16YGK_AAiNuU8i3qYJn3KWePAiZy5X4khSwPWtSRPYCN4NsVZkEE571G6aB-cWGsG-wi0/s400/004+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>I wish all of you moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day; may it be joyful and filled with love! Hubby gave me yellow roses, I just love them! We also celebrated yesterday to beat the crazy crowds, enjoyed an early supper out, no crowds, no waiting. :o)Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-18401959392340071502011-05-05T13:01:00.001-06:002011-05-05T13:14:25.784-06:00Spring is Seeping In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The sun is out, the birds are chirping...no sign of the aggressive robin that has been terrorizing the neighborhood...I have video to prove it...fellow was attacking our front window, or more likely the strange intruder robin he saw looking back at him from 'inside' the house...the neighbor reported the same crazy behavior at her front window. The starlings, brown-headed cowbirds, and Brewer's blackbirds are taking over the feeders and fallen seeds/bath, much to my dismay...sheesh...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I rode Tatanka Blanca to Hot Springs and further south to the very southern tip of the Hills a few days ago, to Keith Park along Cascade Creek. I saw goldfinches and a spotted towhee but no photos...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUGlKRp1TtTCSpWkWvSZdt9VMLXiyZstAxShMoR339OXYwDa_9yhUFK585ET8PZwEyFAirBWclIIs3b0I3F6ZG1zgwFptdv2cHh8uSpRKmZUYspma6SNMTtDmtuRVmw-gupL0sA0UMSk/s1600/DSC08025+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUGlKRp1TtTCSpWkWvSZdt9VMLXiyZstAxShMoR339OXYwDa_9yhUFK585ET8PZwEyFAirBWclIIs3b0I3F6ZG1zgwFptdv2cHh8uSpRKmZUYspma6SNMTtDmtuRVmw-gupL0sA0UMSk/s400/DSC08025+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did get shots of this slightly natty-looking mourning cloak...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFmtygzqcJ937ztTYvqTOQ1EqJ4ZzscFycZB9KZRnR98GBm_KXWkMbKIKCuup4eel2ZzV3CT4TmB3RZFyWwWgW1Fm35kTn6zARrKyzFboV7nzd3HTbVWgcXVou-ccEV0T7Vx7n1ncmIA/s1600/DSC08051+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFmtygzqcJ937ztTYvqTOQ1EqJ4ZzscFycZB9KZRnR98GBm_KXWkMbKIKCuup4eel2ZzV3CT4TmB3RZFyWwWgW1Fm35kTn6zARrKyzFboV7nzd3HTbVWgcXVou-ccEV0T7Vx7n1ncmIA/s400/DSC08051+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...and a Milbert's tortoiseshell...those 'eyes' are downright freaky...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-C3snITNbSnoYis_pn7anQlnRaATM5o3rEJPzGbOBBzB8Xll2uKn0GmDaZjUFiAiB8G5UN1cTwAvIvADrjU_94U5uQ_PZaWYR0-UAfm-tajI3LOM3OAnZYehkOAKxeM880gpxY8jlhI/s1600/005+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-C3snITNbSnoYis_pn7anQlnRaATM5o3rEJPzGbOBBzB8Xll2uKn0GmDaZjUFiAiB8G5UN1cTwAvIvADrjU_94U5uQ_PZaWYR0-UAfm-tajI3LOM3OAnZYehkOAKxeM880gpxY8jlhI/s400/005+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...On the way back N., I went thru Wind Cave Nat'l Park and made a stop at the picnic area, where a trail runs between the loop and the cave...birds were heard but not seen, but I did find Nuttall's violets growing in the area....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjImbZRCDWE1NihRSagLCY1k4E66Eop0IXOaP159Jo2qGEKkvVjf7Gt1puZciM_6dMkGlhpj6NgireZKggJJvG8JY8YHBinZ7pEMLNsE007t4G9UlOz5sbLHNkrbxSbg2m9Oh0cqNxar4/s1600/DSC08057+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjImbZRCDWE1NihRSagLCY1k4E66Eop0IXOaP159Jo2qGEKkvVjf7Gt1puZciM_6dMkGlhpj6NgireZKggJJvG8JY8YHBinZ7pEMLNsE007t4G9UlOz5sbLHNkrbxSbg2m9Oh0cqNxar4/s400/DSC08057+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought this was interesting...a new pinecone had artfully fallen onto an old cone...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIROYPzL1XpqvzMlXIQnk1QQZhTwqwu6kXKQXpZfJkv8t3_0AHTVSfCEVE1NzNE7Cpq6kOUvVBPzoIwqNwIG3V6KlIGo55HzvSgmbM_6Nwwld_rEBwEwx3vXjNigmmJGiPoEOGs1FOC78/s1600/DSC08061+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIROYPzL1XpqvzMlXIQnk1QQZhTwqwu6kXKQXpZfJkv8t3_0AHTVSfCEVE1NzNE7Cpq6kOUvVBPzoIwqNwIG3V6KlIGo55HzvSgmbM_6Nwwld_rEBwEwx3vXjNigmmJGiPoEOGs1FOC78/s400/DSC08061+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The prairie dogs were looking healthy, shiny-coated as they went about their spring cleaning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The forecast is for temps in the 60's...not quite making it to 70 except maybe one day in the next week, but hey we're getting there...I ventured to trade the flannel sheets for reg. cotton ones so let's hope I didn't put a 'spring snow' hex on things! Yeesh. The huz and I took a walk this morning and I saw some bladderpod and phlox growing in a vacant lot...wildflowers are finally coming up. :o)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-90815917648543669512011-04-30T13:05:00.000-06:002011-04-30T13:05:22.691-06:00Mumblings...and The Meadowlark Invasion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks for all the comments, dear visitors...keep 'em coming! If you've been with me for awhile, you may recall my mentioning the Huz's upcoming retirement and our tentative plan to move SE, possibly to Alabama. We nixxed that idea months ago, long before the recent tornado disasters, and have been focused on retiring to Florida. Trading tornados for hurricanes, right? Oh well, there is so much to see/do in Florida, not the least of which is birding of course :o)) Huz grew up in Florida from the age of five, left at 19, will be coming full circle it would seem...anyway, the plan is to stay with Huz's bro on an extended vacation...until our house sells and we can get an apt. ...we'd been planning to leave in Sept. but realistically once Huz retires the 1st of July, we're going to be wondering what the hell we're still doing here....so maybe sooner...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My point? After seven years, this will be the last spring/summer that I'll be doing my photography in the Black Hills. Once we do land in Florida I'll be starting a new Blog and I really hope that my followers will follow me to the new Blog...it will be a focus on feathers and flora and I'm very excited at the prospect of all there is to find in such a tropical setting, where there are hundreds of state parks. Knowing this is my last year of photography here in S Dakota makes this season bittersweet, but honestly, I am sooo ready for a change of scenery! We're excited about down-sizing and living somewhere with so much to see and do...and eat, ha! :o} So, big changes are coming, and I hope you'll stick with me.....ok, back to the present... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqhC86NqUeAScVgi0zs-cWy3PjNyslv1gsQ5Vpt-9lz-CXMmyjh6KjREgdjrkEdoalOxAJX7J4zaOK1xfDHz4KhkGu_vfAo0yPjU5wXQd4V5QIs45peO2lwh1pkH7Yaoj269oJL-v0Gc/s1600/DSC07938+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqhC86NqUeAScVgi0zs-cWy3PjNyslv1gsQ5Vpt-9lz-CXMmyjh6KjREgdjrkEdoalOxAJX7J4zaOK1xfDHz4KhkGu_vfAo0yPjU5wXQd4V5QIs45peO2lwh1pkH7Yaoj269oJL-v0Gc/s400/DSC07938+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I went for one of my drives a week ago, where else but to Custer State Park...the meadowlarks have been back for a couple-three weeks now, and I love hearing their warbly call. It isn't hard to get a photo of a territorial, love-seeking male this time of year...some are brave enough to stare me down vs. taking flight...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lm44Ls8SsZT8cZ4RKk90Ife_r1wNGif9US5dcHevLXVchcQ4H_DLmQP8VFRJEup1ugDWwLYRB9sB2sfcwUQcmKUoncsha_j2QY5UHPxXh27My4SKlFIw6MMjgaa3PFMndaqDsWHX9i4/s1600/DSC07927+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lm44Ls8SsZT8cZ4RKk90Ife_r1wNGif9US5dcHevLXVchcQ4H_DLmQP8VFRJEup1ugDWwLYRB9sB2sfcwUQcmKUoncsha_j2QY5UHPxXh27My4SKlFIw6MMjgaa3PFMndaqDsWHX9i4/s400/DSC07927+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I seem to be finding squirrels a lot lately...it took me a long time to figure out that their 'chirping' wasn't a bird...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrA_IW8OUJ0vk7yNdSSIDLcEyxXGce2eUXGTdmdJIP14CcXvUpYDBdCu_agop_VAcUfr5w-CP8W3JZm_V_Y5tFf66_GgTZvXPJkDUs8_IugA9HeKOF3JF4QgyQKcJ2r70OeMjRGhNrGRo/s1600/DSC07945+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrA_IW8OUJ0vk7yNdSSIDLcEyxXGce2eUXGTdmdJIP14CcXvUpYDBdCu_agop_VAcUfr5w-CP8W3JZm_V_Y5tFf66_GgTZvXPJkDUs8_IugA9HeKOF3JF4QgyQKcJ2r70OeMjRGhNrGRo/s400/DSC07945+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bison are still holding down the fort in the park...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOcV2GZ_wp9obbjxXpnqin2uKk0ajuDWYnpdF3qYI5NNMv36YUkAlk2zOmxnOteoYgdvJinoX0yhCuvBSm3DnDoS9BRto71LQHdnqawLngGXtl1qTvjc46IUtX5gUZiCyLBomaifLSak/s1600/DSC07966+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOcV2GZ_wp9obbjxXpnqin2uKk0ajuDWYnpdF3qYI5NNMv36YUkAlk2zOmxnOteoYgdvJinoX0yhCuvBSm3DnDoS9BRto71LQHdnqawLngGXtl1qTvjc46IUtX5gUZiCyLBomaifLSak/s400/DSC07966+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I saw a lot of American kestrels during my drive, including this pair many yards away...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAMyMjWcNwLu8PkMxTaJE6RsVagrVDzqR4c7D29vm8SGjWmhYgDqNaij7f3GIfIfcioxitTZwRjARCQpX-jf6FWRiY3YoiRY8iuuieWjKV5VeekJqVFtpEpWdUya49lnhLG_A2Ajmoog/s1600/DSC07990+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAMyMjWcNwLu8PkMxTaJE6RsVagrVDzqR4c7D29vm8SGjWmhYgDqNaij7f3GIfIfcioxitTZwRjARCQpX-jf6FWRiY3YoiRY8iuuieWjKV5VeekJqVFtpEpWdUya49lnhLG_A2Ajmoog/s400/DSC07990+%25282%2529.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also saw some red crossbills...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgoQqNsr2eQOPduG2Bbxg0OJ5zxlwkfTA4cwXjfaYdH6VwpLl57p5FPSVGcV2Fy_rVBtHNNyikuqBOcBDFzbwhLSHL1TI2BBFNYA2PaVUmj5dfnBVSj8MZqaJ4iFvFZa9-SQSD3y4boI/s1600/DSC08018+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgoQqNsr2eQOPduG2Bbxg0OJ5zxlwkfTA4cwXjfaYdH6VwpLl57p5FPSVGcV2Fy_rVBtHNNyikuqBOcBDFzbwhLSHL1TI2BBFNYA2PaVUmj5dfnBVSj8MZqaJ4iFvFZa9-SQSD3y4boI/s400/DSC08018+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>...Another kestrel...they're sure hard to get a good photo of, due to their small size and the distance required before they'll fly away from a human invasion.<br />
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We had a slight dusting of snow overnight and the wind is blasting up to 55 mph...sigh...Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-66747380201611332812011-04-27T11:18:00.003-06:002011-04-29T12:13:05.521-06:00The Pacific Redwoods (N. Calif. Part III)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One place to visit that should be on everyone's bucket list...the redwood forestry of the Pacific NW...and the NW coastline in N. Calif. and Oregon along Hwy 101....while visiting my Oldest Sis and family earlier this month, OS and I traveled thru the redwoods both N of our hometown and S of our hometown...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjrJNrVl3qsc-oVFxP-JblFj9Xk4q6jTj9rU1NV3hakY6Q7VDPQW_BxWzMENIYzHlX1-jSX-XvHJ29gfzYHVE5-ijRiFyRV9f0eVtgIRqIY0OytPcXv0SVYg9diga6OK1OrvYkt6yQq0/s1600/024+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjrJNrVl3qsc-oVFxP-JblFj9Xk4q6jTj9rU1NV3hakY6Q7VDPQW_BxWzMENIYzHlX1-jSX-XvHJ29gfzYHVE5-ijRiFyRV9f0eVtgIRqIY0OytPcXv0SVYg9diga6OK1OrvYkt6yQq0/s400/024+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Heading N. (when we visited our brother in S Oregon), we stopped in the redwoods to shoot the Western wake robin, a trillium, from the Lily Family....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC8OsReamCzfsvuSM0T1W1lKnHtk3HwyJgsqWa3b430CRtYAo4FO3zpI157FWuciThbJGr9vG-ClZP-9rNNlOnuQ5A4wMgWlL6CQmjkBTGMFt217cb09ZSlXQCgeRjq0g54i05O_2bdk/s1600/035+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC8OsReamCzfsvuSM0T1W1lKnHtk3HwyJgsqWa3b430CRtYAo4FO3zpI157FWuciThbJGr9vG-ClZP-9rNNlOnuQ5A4wMgWlL6CQmjkBTGMFt217cb09ZSlXQCgeRjq0g54i05O_2bdk/s400/035+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Further NE, heading away from the coast on Hwy 199, runs the Smith River...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLpQbDRIJbTikiUbP3V9gULmLDlwhnxuqHeq8fToVTQUHJ_z_SKzApyDDmE1WAM9v1_LX3kTG15ZRuC3fxcvP6c2tm8mr9sjkNZUAtKBhrFcSfsj8rT7mIlv1d4Ti4ZQZNT1hj4yUNys/s1600/039+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLpQbDRIJbTikiUbP3V9gULmLDlwhnxuqHeq8fToVTQUHJ_z_SKzApyDDmE1WAM9v1_LX3kTG15ZRuC3fxcvP6c2tm8mr9sjkNZUAtKBhrFcSfsj8rT7mIlv1d4Ti4ZQZNT1hj4yUNys/s400/039+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a manzanita shrub...not in the field guide...we found this at the botanical wayside where the pitcher plant grows, that I posted previously...from the Heath Family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdlcxIZuZ39qBQKS5Y16M1SzDyAaJT8WnVbkBzgxTezOk2MRdeDadoBKYw3dnfgaXRTKFaeZk7xYdXiHn48rv2tnf5Nr4Hx_AIDATzJ4dQYKpRRZG2SMAX1OGCTDokQ9JlyLObF2G814/s1600/089+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdlcxIZuZ39qBQKS5Y16M1SzDyAaJT8WnVbkBzgxTezOk2MRdeDadoBKYw3dnfgaXRTKFaeZk7xYdXiHn48rv2tnf5Nr4Hx_AIDATzJ4dQYKpRRZG2SMAX1OGCTDokQ9JlyLObF2G814/s400/089+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While visiting the redwoods S of our hometown, OS and I found more wildflowers...the stream violet (aka pioneer violet, smooth yellow violet) is blooming under the forest canopy...I didn't realize until I cropped this photo that there were water drops decorating the leafs' edges like tiny gems...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoycMKbFCPY0daYnJ9KRXN261rlbrMnwAB9X5NQtB9tw-CRuNcr1n6ya7S4k7mlF6fFMfWhsq-T0-qnacqaFmPwQxiajqmyZ9KQP7kH-bDunElQIHQkLjNn6-x83ei9yTlYTtv0tMlXwE/s1600/096+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoycMKbFCPY0daYnJ9KRXN261rlbrMnwAB9X5NQtB9tw-CRuNcr1n6ya7S4k7mlF6fFMfWhsq-T0-qnacqaFmPwQxiajqmyZ9KQP7kH-bDunElQIHQkLjNn6-x83ei9yTlYTtv0tMlXwE/s400/096+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">False Solomon's seal grows abundantly in the redwoods...also from the Lily Family...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmCSqwPZbI-5g-_f-VNS-bw-U2d39WbGDt5yPseNxGMOTmayZmXYT4660-LMEozHL1nC3mgjJdmXXB6CXkCMur2gKNyW9cmBiU9X4laRC_1CH_IfWFBHyYUIH0DAuSnzNtH9nXPDjYLE/s1600/101+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmCSqwPZbI-5g-_f-VNS-bw-U2d39WbGDt5yPseNxGMOTmayZmXYT4660-LMEozHL1nC3mgjJdmXXB6CXkCMur2gKNyW9cmBiU9X4laRC_1CH_IfWFBHyYUIH0DAuSnzNtH9nXPDjYLE/s400/101+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We saw plenty more trilliums...most of the pink ones were past their prime...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVv0iImHwJ4idVNMA2Z15FsAZfGDUEgI80UgwHnzBgZqTDNndxqutdYTJOCckv0nowQCj5mupntmDMtMCLayUb5JCdiluKF9lngEryiis4xscvdPCsBYi7W3Drai-bQy9iO6eWRKV8IA/s1600/107+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVv0iImHwJ4idVNMA2Z15FsAZfGDUEgI80UgwHnzBgZqTDNndxqutdYTJOCckv0nowQCj5mupntmDMtMCLayUb5JCdiluKF9lngEryiis4xscvdPCsBYi7W3Drai-bQy9iO6eWRKV8IA/s400/107+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Speaking of pink, best guess here is Andrew's clintonia...again my field guide is failing me, am having to hunt online...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZA2y6X1Zmy4kg_q5iTviEI_Slg0CnTQBgOKrkmEsbZVnHor9Qi4S9FGVNQy3arUMFELwjK0ZFG6-nPUdL5jMeVSFHWrEpeMnktwwE77ZbEXaV3j5lnpGnTkgv9ZwY3zXTIG8QHOdikc/s1600/113+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZA2y6X1Zmy4kg_q5iTviEI_Slg0CnTQBgOKrkmEsbZVnHor9Qi4S9FGVNQy3arUMFELwjK0ZFG6-nPUdL5jMeVSFHWrEpeMnktwwE77ZbEXaV3j5lnpGnTkgv9ZwY3zXTIG8QHOdikc/s400/113+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now this I knew was a sorrel w/ its distinct clover-like leaves... it's Redwood sorrel...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2xAJYz3e__xW3VFUgi6bmf_quAYP6sk45sm8Hv0BYk3bS78cPCNwsXxE5vW96hGVy4aATUPoHZTXMbO6Y-O-k5L7rx2a_7U-G2pfbOPAxqniisNOB852OLkOJ-1PlWce-NeZQoOoZqU/s1600/127+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2xAJYz3e__xW3VFUgi6bmf_quAYP6sk45sm8Hv0BYk3bS78cPCNwsXxE5vW96hGVy4aATUPoHZTXMbO6Y-O-k5L7rx2a_7U-G2pfbOPAxqniisNOB852OLkOJ-1PlWce-NeZQoOoZqU/s400/127+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Western bleeding heart...from the Fumatory Family...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKsNPi3n9uQNo0K1bGDIXlpLCqOQEYBUz4yxGMKilrdIfK0jP31W2KN92wQwo4769xM7pB4WwNbHygIhPEbgnutLYHDdbkVr-Kxz0SH0MdG0MC7pmtHn2XxFp0UDGzY7LrM57jKtGiQQ/s1600/112+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKsNPi3n9uQNo0K1bGDIXlpLCqOQEYBUz4yxGMKilrdIfK0jP31W2KN92wQwo4769xM7pB4WwNbHygIhPEbgnutLYHDdbkVr-Kxz0SH0MdG0MC7pmtHn2XxFp0UDGzY7LrM57jKtGiQQ/s400/112+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...OS walking in the redwoods...these trees by the way are fairly small (circumference) for redwoods...young un's...you really need to see the redwoods...I'm just sayin'.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCpm7cUxLgpmS7JR5Qo2nbEjiT-UwjhdjVhN66XFo8Nooif0MHOLPNKFzBmIqCL1Igl0XLwU6ZuhLAU9wCjM6sLOR9pgeVAuG0BrvqkwDw-FXIuQ3EDeziU-A2LrfacRUKcA9P_15z7k/s1600/131+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCpm7cUxLgpmS7JR5Qo2nbEjiT-UwjhdjVhN66XFo8Nooif0MHOLPNKFzBmIqCL1Igl0XLwU6ZuhLAU9wCjM6sLOR9pgeVAuG0BrvqkwDw-FXIuQ3EDeziU-A2LrfacRUKcA9P_15z7k/s400/131+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Ferns growing from the moss on a redwood tree...the ground is covered in ferns also.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBs-z52m7siEkCI2xFwuHusEAU7klmNv092UJrX1uarIgnISXoAEZlXNPT3qg-DHHl8WabN63AzsTM0TKnR5yOaiuFpfk2k7QF_YxSK1k3qY-53lI7Skru9O1aWBhzf7C-Vya2E5GRrk/s1600/148+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBs-z52m7siEkCI2xFwuHusEAU7klmNv092UJrX1uarIgnISXoAEZlXNPT3qg-DHHl8WabN63AzsTM0TKnR5yOaiuFpfk2k7QF_YxSK1k3qY-53lI7Skru9O1aWBhzf7C-Vya2E5GRrk/s400/148+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Fast forward a few days...on the drive home to S Dakota from the Denver airport, I finally got a photo of this sign...Lost Springs is in E Wyoming...according to Wikipedia, there are only four towns in the US with a population of one! According to the 2010 census, the town actually has a population of four. Guess they haven't gotten around to ordering a new sign.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-69529748652543971292011-04-24T10:10:00.005-06:002011-04-24T10:31:45.329-06:00Out And About: N. Calif. Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While visiting my family in N. Calif. earlier this month, Oldest Sis and I traveled to S. Oregon to visit our brother and his girlfriend, plus I got to catch up with a childhood friend I hadn't seen in 11 years...along the route there, we stopped to pay our respects to the female Roosevelt elk herd at "the little red schoolhouse" near Orick, CA...the elk hang out there often. We didn't see any bulls... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-61xmRd8rvyW8FsQ9BeA-SPFQM1caRNunNKZkHNbia8SnCkKIDA7lbKtxb9MUyArw2RWTagpbUkb71NnFmd0StvEXchM74izhIamKpXBQT4RMvNktRtOVfZTBrAcA5HBIzssW05Z52Ag/s1600/DSC07631+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-61xmRd8rvyW8FsQ9BeA-SPFQM1caRNunNKZkHNbia8SnCkKIDA7lbKtxb9MUyArw2RWTagpbUkb71NnFmd0StvEXchM74izhIamKpXBQT4RMvNktRtOVfZTBrAcA5HBIzssW05Z52Ag/s400/DSC07631+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That old fire engine has been there for who knows how long...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next we stopped for lunch in Crescent City...if the town name rings a bell, it could be because the recent Japan quake's tsunami waves hit this town and tossed fishing boats around like toy ducks in a tub, and the town was in the news...it's 80 miles from my hometown... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZxSUCYJU8mOvMJcRbZiq4siapXT5-tGXGugkYRT_xHy9TAXlEVIspQA_Oo_RDNW_AlPy6sN5lLSyThoDGr2ERXu5yAJoot1aAqMWU8cAXLvkyclIbVG688KAKhz9yYZkTjteY6wLNNY/s1600/DSC07645+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZxSUCYJU8mOvMJcRbZiq4siapXT5-tGXGugkYRT_xHy9TAXlEVIspQA_Oo_RDNW_AlPy6sN5lLSyThoDGr2ERXu5yAJoot1aAqMWU8cAXLvkyclIbVG688KAKhz9yYZkTjteY6wLNNY/s400/DSC07645+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The pier that the sea lions and harbor seals lounged on in the harbor near the restaurant was destroyed in the storm, so the critters have taken up residence on the short land ramp, also near the restaurant...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmTQmCvOKWFc1Xsan60m2v4_cJZB1sakm3mYQ5IEfNxZeVzfl7QS_j8la2wb8sBsao9DqZJ2aerU4InfVRFVZzrB5PA2W0zpyjKWHtCsCCh5sLGIM_ieh1i3LWiwbWAet-0Gca9Euvhs/s1600/DSC07652+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmTQmCvOKWFc1Xsan60m2v4_cJZB1sakm3mYQ5IEfNxZeVzfl7QS_j8la2wb8sBsao9DqZJ2aerU4InfVRFVZzrB5PA2W0zpyjKWHtCsCCh5sLGIM_ieh1i3LWiwbWAet-0Gca9Euvhs/s400/DSC07652+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also seen in the harbor, white-winged scoters...I believe I've seen these before, at a distance, but hadn't taken decent photos...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQ725QN1d0-qbQF6oPwPwN6oJ5OZhHIzdNcIe7UG8bonYH_JGot4jCKRTri-_JKngJlP85IvW6DqFq9cWefRjZdifkyFbmqsABjMi2acZN2dqGfsPQ869nucN_fqPi7g0xVHrb4FK5rQ/s1600/DSC07653+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQ725QN1d0-qbQF6oPwPwN6oJ5OZhHIzdNcIe7UG8bonYH_JGot4jCKRTri-_JKngJlP85IvW6DqFq9cWefRjZdifkyFbmqsABjMi2acZN2dqGfsPQ869nucN_fqPi7g0xVHrb4FK5rQ/s400/DSC07653+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF05WsYb0l1Bm-a9uR5yuOovqWhFWH3srjC7H85nB2aLHpifnh5oR-HDK8KKeIaxx8UJCKAXJidn643rR8JnGewFcSBWuibWl1ta8TCws8it2mehGnznjMKKJhD7iwkUY0oxo0Zwd4A64/s1600/DSC07658+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF05WsYb0l1Bm-a9uR5yuOovqWhFWH3srjC7H85nB2aLHpifnh5oR-HDK8KKeIaxx8UJCKAXJidn643rR8JnGewFcSBWuibWl1ta8TCws8it2mehGnznjMKKJhD7iwkUY0oxo0Zwd4A64/s400/DSC07658+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped at the Botanical Garden heading NE to Oregon...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">wild Western azaleas were just beginning to bloom...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURH91FcNyp0_O0s_80jDuayyd2tirbENiKQN7gyzx_z6tyE3sOe_yFJxeEjh4u-BxG6n34wgZhOlx5s06QwiKa7gP1rF-HYTDyW52y0F3iIlShhRpgL0tVU7iVrLZ70X7bnAIsQUAieg/s1600/DSC07661+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURH91FcNyp0_O0s_80jDuayyd2tirbENiKQN7gyzx_z6tyE3sOe_yFJxeEjh4u-BxG6n34wgZhOlx5s06QwiKa7gP1rF-HYTDyW52y0F3iIlShhRpgL0tVU7iVrLZ70X7bnAIsQUAieg/s400/DSC07661+%25281%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The stars of the loop trail, the pitcher plants, which look like cobras...nesting in a bog...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLtN522tksmiXW1qnpnU1RFdqaduJ8amthw2GM9duNKLI6yaEA8dD7Gx0oUEd7AwShOWDS1Yjyb8uaMva4sPqGD8TljFnV1D9kznfrwhaQIOwXKx_-qmbvwARtpP2dnuQw_dFOs_87iY/s1600/DSC07677+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLtN522tksmiXW1qnpnU1RFdqaduJ8amthw2GM9duNKLI6yaEA8dD7Gx0oUEd7AwShOWDS1Yjyb8uaMva4sPqGD8TljFnV1D9kznfrwhaQIOwXKx_-qmbvwARtpP2dnuQw_dFOs_87iY/s400/DSC07677+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple days later, back near home base, Oldest Sis and I walked the loop at the Humboldt Bay NWR...it was a blustery day and the birds were scarce, but we did see an American kestrel...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKlqLH-bYR9-tGsM2QJ1_axSi_Hsn_nIcvd2R5wEMWRXAcWZGztT-fQ_iKrk12xnJMm2-lN9WCZBmacKcxPsIXLtEECRQgZBVGpbXfnCkdwYPIJ4-WYuB5UBEL7BGCD_Ut34ijcwM218/s1600/DSC07681+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKlqLH-bYR9-tGsM2QJ1_axSi_Hsn_nIcvd2R5wEMWRXAcWZGztT-fQ_iKrk12xnJMm2-lN9WCZBmacKcxPsIXLtEECRQgZBVGpbXfnCkdwYPIJ4-WYuB5UBEL7BGCD_Ut34ijcwM218/s400/DSC07681+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a Savannah sparrow...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9C_rldzJaZsCwnaQX46Cal1qoYmOjhWDMoDfLVGqtCZCxdHazckH2DJ4qeVb-wKK8oM2iw98Bjeo-mf4zwaTxcJnI5KOm2HwxEyCEI_n82LYUmtxo0P52ZgnrIINBTh2FufES13gZog/s1600/047+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9C_rldzJaZsCwnaQX46Cal1qoYmOjhWDMoDfLVGqtCZCxdHazckH2DJ4qeVb-wKK8oM2iw98Bjeo-mf4zwaTxcJnI5KOm2HwxEyCEI_n82LYUmtxo0P52ZgnrIINBTh2FufES13gZog/s400/047+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We discovered, back at the garden by the parking lot, this plaque honoring a local Fish and Wildlife employee who gave his life on the infamous United flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. We'd never realized that someone from our hometown had been on that flight and, needless to say, it was a very emotional moment for us both. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On another day, OS and I made our way to a favorite beach, Trinidad Beach, where we had a picnic and enjoyed the view once again...above is Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse, overlooking Trinidad Bay...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKFdxYkij2x9yCQTnwzZDNvVtfbmNyQsO4WEXSqMJloq7Jp02dAXunDIyj-mwUK2HeOC96eXlpSUiyifiZ3kYDqKWITtaqrzsG9LT9G-Z323VJ5WjOR9sg-QsxipFDYzVI-9ibakqXNA/s1600/DSC07700+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKFdxYkij2x9yCQTnwzZDNvVtfbmNyQsO4WEXSqMJloq7Jp02dAXunDIyj-mwUK2HeOC96eXlpSUiyifiZ3kYDqKWITtaqrzsG9LT9G-Z323VJ5WjOR9sg-QsxipFDYzVI-9ibakqXNA/s400/DSC07700+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rock in the foreground is covered with mussels, and a few purple and orange starfish.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I'll have one more post with photos from my CA trip before getting back to SD posts...I went for a drive yesterday, first one since getting back and first one in our new vehicle, which we have named Tatanka Blanca (White Buffalo). I was dismayed to find that there are NO wildflowers in bloom, and it's almost May!<br />
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It's sunny today at least, nice out... Happy Easter everyone!Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176212802353116936.post-91999037979171920612011-04-21T11:41:00.002-06:002011-04-22T17:09:09.746-06:00Jolly Giant Creek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've not only been out of pocket in general, I've been to N. Calif. for twelve days and just got back to S. Dakota on Monday. The main reason for the trip this time was to see my oldest sis while she was visiting the folks from the UK. One day we visited the Arcata Marshes, which included walking a loop trail and standing on a small bridge over Jolly Giant Creek, which is a run-off from the Pacific Ocean...clearly someone had blown the noon whistle...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxK4s5e2BAKN-1Oi0Urhfu5C7yhevMEKLiVPFuM2OSSeMc9zTMWUv_3SZT6LAtZbtoS-NXidScMI6lHC01eI78qMZspyEgxlSwcvf_M7oWq6KRp9bwndEhP4mWWh36kO-2o6jyRtc8w0/s1600/DSC07757+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxK4s5e2BAKN-1Oi0Urhfu5C7yhevMEKLiVPFuM2OSSeMc9zTMWUv_3SZT6LAtZbtoS-NXidScMI6lHC01eI78qMZspyEgxlSwcvf_M7oWq6KRp9bwndEhP4mWWh36kO-2o6jyRtc8w0/s400/DSC07757+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During the loop walk, we witnessed many long-billed marsh wrens hopping about in the dead cattails...love was definitely in the air everywhere around the marshes...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIudgd_k0AVEr9lW240Q-t7wcNiBKLcRA2ojAkdl3KheIl-Yqt-XtZrUUs6gh40QG0PAhUKjHlz1uaADU9rxzK2SYcoyRdX7-qcaNJS_FiHRT_Kel-Vou-ys4FcFWQs6IhjRE7jz_ouU/s1600/DSC07746+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIudgd_k0AVEr9lW240Q-t7wcNiBKLcRA2ojAkdl3KheIl-Yqt-XtZrUUs6gh40QG0PAhUKjHlz1uaADU9rxzK2SYcoyRdX7-qcaNJS_FiHRT_Kel-Vou-ys4FcFWQs6IhjRE7jz_ouU/s400/DSC07746+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Anise swallowtails were flitting about as well...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecQiMPBLugVKq0AYqRHv0lQgZtjLvq_2BZVKffwKGTqW6uerkrO2sk02bEhMt3P3Y0Vq2xp2Gm4BuYsvFj0Hq-mADqeJkP-18M8BzoDMQlobAU6APghUtoesjMTXpFrwTjKzQT5-cMIw/s1600/DSC07733+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecQiMPBLugVKq0AYqRHv0lQgZtjLvq_2BZVKffwKGTqW6uerkrO2sk02bEhMt3P3Y0Vq2xp2Gm4BuYsvFj0Hq-mADqeJkP-18M8BzoDMQlobAU6APghUtoesjMTXpFrwTjKzQT5-cMIw/s400/DSC07733+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Male buffleheads were displaying their machisimo on one of the ponds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59siYRx8qLNJIWLvzSzkDjYvFenyOiGZvMi2j8xiEPbQbVhBGwL1DAS4jx6jPqAgkE5hX0wVK5XLtYCTvJwBDGWBYJ380tBqfiCjRhFDkra7T4_h8Ke-XTszaQiDuQdvqi6dNcRlVeC8/s1600/DSC07791+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59siYRx8qLNJIWLvzSzkDjYvFenyOiGZvMi2j8xiEPbQbVhBGwL1DAS4jx6jPqAgkE5hX0wVK5XLtYCTvJwBDGWBYJ380tBqfiCjRhFDkra7T4_h8Ke-XTszaQiDuQdvqi6dNcRlVeC8/s400/DSC07791+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the bridge at Jolly Giant Creek, Oldest Sis and I discovered several awesome water/shore birds, including three Western grebes that were fishing...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj027RkxyUScIOUTUX1y1duHGU5KsYDUaHy4OeisNbGJZuO0MeErFeoLHH37lfOKy2IY77w7zheY9nxVwZOCeiREU_JJhQnLBcd94XTK0Rw4mE8dL1irPMInU0N_Vo_i26ylx1sLv2x72E/s1600/DSC07793+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj027RkxyUScIOUTUX1y1duHGU5KsYDUaHy4OeisNbGJZuO0MeErFeoLHH37lfOKy2IY77w7zheY9nxVwZOCeiREU_JJhQnLBcd94XTK0Rw4mE8dL1irPMInU0N_Vo_i26ylx1sLv2x72E/s400/DSC07793+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...Successfully...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkauKv5QeJWiaalt1ySiw8vZ2_UE30vxZ1MVs_AsZJocBNF-TzpekRwpBQPqInFdQi0e3_vprUt9QE2vivEuqH4YM7V3P6myDacLz6DxS8qDIK8uEhVIfyObfepk_AGrcYTGZWwx9m4EQ/s1600/DSC07833+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkauKv5QeJWiaalt1ySiw8vZ2_UE30vxZ1MVs_AsZJocBNF-TzpekRwpBQPqInFdQi0e3_vprUt9QE2vivEuqH4YM7V3P6myDacLz6DxS8qDIK8uEhVIfyObfepk_AGrcYTGZWwx9m4EQ/s400/DSC07833+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A green-winged teal pair was just hanging out...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoTlm6bPz2M89mhe1XuRWPzvfm31p6KpO-9KSK0CKgNEDWtdnQu1ScS6Xdh8FKCunmh_O9YcV6-UbM2ClKY4WDQszmYf5uqfCcjY_lMK6Pl_VVD74TsrpWDUlJ5iqeEhkzw9DNzVs4tc/s1600/DSC07786+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoTlm6bPz2M89mhe1XuRWPzvfm31p6KpO-9KSK0CKgNEDWtdnQu1ScS6Xdh8FKCunmh_O9YcV6-UbM2ClKY4WDQszmYf5uqfCcjY_lMK6Pl_VVD74TsrpWDUlJ5iqeEhkzw9DNzVs4tc/s400/DSC07786+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...I managed to capture the female's green wing...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynLp_YtgNeY9U6qOJvHKFijLL6CQ7rYs7p_u07aIb-eFvL0JamiOqnQSHlyyvsj-1gzjdCtr2E0xMCIPMu9j4UZiKajo3awUccuSN-WjWXhezj43WfJ_eGeVoy34zA2vFgnht3iHgwmM/s1600/DSC07824+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynLp_YtgNeY9U6qOJvHKFijLL6CQ7rYs7p_u07aIb-eFvL0JamiOqnQSHlyyvsj-1gzjdCtr2E0xMCIPMu9j4UZiKajo3awUccuSN-WjWXhezj43WfJ_eGeVoy34zA2vFgnht3iHgwmM/s400/DSC07824+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">April 14th to 20th was the local annual Godwit Days...this was day one and we saw many of the marbled godwits in the area that week, including this one fishing on the creek's edge...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMIG_lqnNz0L4zV5AKVbX5KIqB3Z9-JwegvNDCMkIbYoww0Cw5mBcb2nYm-v1nO8oe9ftWJKHFzpOVPYk1bCa3xUpXXjt0eCjlM5xVSjT6l2zbDDTQycfXdlML97S52fcr4eegQH7jYs/s1600/DSC07822+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMIG_lqnNz0L4zV5AKVbX5KIqB3Z9-JwegvNDCMkIbYoww0Cw5mBcb2nYm-v1nO8oe9ftWJKHFzpOVPYk1bCa3xUpXXjt0eCjlM5xVSjT6l2zbDDTQycfXdlML97S52fcr4eegQH7jYs/s400/DSC07822+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtzpDEwdZX6WYNSJaJ827wFb60gz_B1gCfYFxKAfLT8Yltjp_waDgFHWSSTgSI-t34pjGRYsUqWf4BEPiAhF0c4YpR_tsUCj-HYbeoYXzZnPkkamBOupoB3POxXFCMPz6e3HRd0qj9Y8/s1600/DSC07831+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtzpDEwdZX6WYNSJaJ827wFb60gz_B1gCfYFxKAfLT8Yltjp_waDgFHWSSTgSI-t34pjGRYsUqWf4BEPiAhF0c4YpR_tsUCj-HYbeoYXzZnPkkamBOupoB3POxXFCMPz6e3HRd0qj9Y8/s400/DSC07831+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also fishing, the great egrets...as we stood there watching one egret, three more eventually arrived...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCTH7xannfb7-sOZoZotckZRv6gPvcRXPYvyudbi-3Wr8g4MoYt1eea-p_eTXPs7358yYvfZjN9wzXXHKB0ogZgS77tGwXksqEye30mZykhsTlYw7B04Zqp3G9ZeOTfon-fyMZCI8_gM/s1600/DSC07858+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCTH7xannfb7-sOZoZotckZRv6gPvcRXPYvyudbi-3Wr8g4MoYt1eea-p_eTXPs7358yYvfZjN9wzXXHKB0ogZgS77tGwXksqEye30mZykhsTlYw7B04Zqp3G9ZeOTfon-fyMZCI8_gM/s400/DSC07858+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...This great blue heron flew in for lunch as well...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6yPozm3EpbRto4PqidnAH2ZS-w3nXCPhVHdwDfNtbggpDUHhKQPmg8uKZbpaILMcaApmAQD2opGFxR3DlIzBIOICQD7BUX_0IDGTKDCdEpoYwOkxzIuZiK5KLOU2WBM_AAJ8r4WhU5Y/s1600/DSC07848+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6yPozm3EpbRto4PqidnAH2ZS-w3nXCPhVHdwDfNtbggpDUHhKQPmg8uKZbpaILMcaApmAQD2opGFxR3DlIzBIOICQD7BUX_0IDGTKDCdEpoYwOkxzIuZiK5KLOU2WBM_AAJ8r4WhU5Y/s400/DSC07848+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...Also successful...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMzr7LGepYENDmAmy77iK3lQ4NhO6ENp4S_dhg0gt2nu9lCEJPdOSGESHe6w9qVIFUXsM1rKagVv2P9mhdoVPoo18_xUBOxJmuxUhJlHl-7mwVu7e56QKZmrQ7ppGgkL5Go924EB7oGo/s1600/DSC07857+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMzr7LGepYENDmAmy77iK3lQ4NhO6ENp4S_dhg0gt2nu9lCEJPdOSGESHe6w9qVIFUXsM1rKagVv2P9mhdoVPoo18_xUBOxJmuxUhJlHl-7mwVu7e56QKZmrQ7ppGgkL5Go924EB7oGo/s400/DSC07857+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVl0BcxIqT7sScT3snM-XnYSdIBn6SNbR4ZY7871P5iaxHg87PH0cl08oYHXtqFb9f8uBo0SrRxqDH08Rel8240E9ZMVyqCaj_gEWPaFPYrQW_8NcCQ7yQiP28UfmOxJkecqB3EXU2gg/s1600/DSC07863+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVl0BcxIqT7sScT3snM-XnYSdIBn6SNbR4ZY7871P5iaxHg87PH0cl08oYHXtqFb9f8uBo0SrRxqDH08Rel8240E9ZMVyqCaj_gEWPaFPYrQW_8NcCQ7yQiP28UfmOxJkecqB3EXU2gg/s400/DSC07863+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...Also near the shore was this willet, still in winter plumage... (best guess) ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWYPBZQH34f_VAQN7vbe2Wr-x9JuLeLUVt60xq1wv3j2cMwrMYAFdohF8lIOqgabQ10hvaEk47LU34MTBqsglg40BppMpCTSiHuAPD_4E4TlpGOah3toLtGRdEhwfPbcNDxeF9jskgqo/s1600/DSC07866+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWYPBZQH34f_VAQN7vbe2Wr-x9JuLeLUVt60xq1wv3j2cMwrMYAFdohF8lIOqgabQ10hvaEk47LU34MTBqsglg40BppMpCTSiHuAPD_4E4TlpGOah3toLtGRdEhwfPbcNDxeF9jskgqo/s400/DSC07866+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...A double-crested cormorant joined the lunch-time crowd...it was very busy diving and nearly impossible to get a shot of....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEF90khkIvEIPbAWm-jONZfZtK7cWXFGNdy14wWTBPSJHwhr9b5DvhyNCBEb-VdSF0tWmpBwewIA3o76AE2MxtT9bvTTLFBViyLq4ensUYIkre4u_Gt78F9LIMcpyRUirvFjcsHUdmCw/s1600/DSC07868+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEF90khkIvEIPbAWm-jONZfZtK7cWXFGNdy14wWTBPSJHwhr9b5DvhyNCBEb-VdSF0tWmpBwewIA3o76AE2MxtT9bvTTLFBViyLq4ensUYIkre4u_Gt78F9LIMcpyRUirvFjcsHUdmCw/s400/DSC07868+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just when we thought it couldn't get more exciting, down came a snowy egret to get in on the action...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2ZSUNXEO3hQWIxMz3W6lOuBv7blqhwApio0wypxnEBL6aC2YkDKEF-K9bdR-pQY9hdX0zDY7xPDW07UF7E5ESyBfD4kmuUqCTiHNpS98iDaRrtiIL8nSjl_RWiQDh3xgBJcQMXdwgPs/s1600/DSC07760+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2ZSUNXEO3hQWIxMz3W6lOuBv7blqhwApio0wypxnEBL6aC2YkDKEF-K9bdR-pQY9hdX0zDY7xPDW07UF7E5ESyBfD4kmuUqCTiHNpS98iDaRrtiIL8nSjl_RWiQDh3xgBJcQMXdwgPs/s400/DSC07760+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back on the trail, we spied a few golden-crowned sparrows...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh144vt2P-Odm4v2CId7YMIVFR6ZHHcJdqIh61OQsCguCyuP_TlDGcqi4orhmEbEN0YnwRBt4orZ_13_sTNjcxzGPdrM5MpJRWcvemywr3LJ0gcP6QfqWbZnElPhalltnloMg07B9CwHIE/s1600/DSC07878+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh144vt2P-Odm4v2CId7YMIVFR6ZHHcJdqIh61OQsCguCyuP_TlDGcqi4orhmEbEN0YnwRBt4orZ_13_sTNjcxzGPdrM5MpJRWcvemywr3LJ0gcP6QfqWbZnElPhalltnloMg07B9CwHIE/s400/DSC07878+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FNs8nYQNsJAPVF7X-Dyg1-1OoOzfRfhdrMTQ-mnV0Un5GhuBebr8_GGEE8GynGG1Szt0i3mM7N74zhndgRQhimwzMONmhzQOdDuQOIGKd3xAOjvmSxjgAlSNpTVDpCVPMyoyei01e68/s1600/DSC07880+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FNs8nYQNsJAPVF7X-Dyg1-1OoOzfRfhdrMTQ-mnV0Un5GhuBebr8_GGEE8GynGG1Szt0i3mM7N74zhndgRQhimwzMONmhzQOdDuQOIGKd3xAOjvmSxjgAlSNpTVDpCVPMyoyei01e68/s400/DSC07880+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a couple black phoebes...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDmguyWQD2fL3fQErrx0UnmMUYmOzgvqZvb5ymSAMsbPLSpSZOM6MkI6jhRGu7uAyjzFXybDsHCgaHembleTO9Ui8qvnJZZUuXzvMZWCi-AO1SALk6LRsklKXNShH7Rq9hcvY92fO0q4/s1600/DSC07888+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDmguyWQD2fL3fQErrx0UnmMUYmOzgvqZvb5ymSAMsbPLSpSZOM6MkI6jhRGu7uAyjzFXybDsHCgaHembleTO9Ui8qvnJZZUuXzvMZWCi-AO1SALk6LRsklKXNShH7Rq9hcvY92fO0q4/s400/DSC07888+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...and yellow-rumped warblers, Myrtles (white throat)...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlBKDN5vMtK5007J0qYS0tZOdFH_E_E39wPldhnWW6pd3Arh8cIrqvhWfG2psb8vXeZ_qNkaVBHkYHtTY3X3cgOjRDgdmK8rXUQgSFtiI78wrW2G6vZ5-k980v7eD4o7K62bgra4iiWk/s1600/DSC07889+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlBKDN5vMtK5007J0qYS0tZOdFH_E_E39wPldhnWW6pd3Arh8cIrqvhWfG2psb8vXeZ_qNkaVBHkYHtTY3X3cgOjRDgdmK8rXUQgSFtiI78wrW2G6vZ5-k980v7eD4o7K62bgra4iiWk/s400/DSC07889+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Back to the pond we started out from, a Northern shoveler pair was floating by. <br />
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My hometown area was, as I expected, very green and lush, w/ many spring flowers in bloom...and, as I expected, when I arrived back home snow was falling...2-3" fell that night. Much has melted but the landscape is still mostly brown and blah. To me it isn't spring until the snow season ends, which would be after the first week of May. ARG. Anyway, I am looking forward to wildflower and birding season here in the Black Hills, soon! This will be my last spring/summer here (I hope; according to plans)...so I'll try to make the most of it.Jannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08172034972414945913noreply@blogger.com5