Painted Desert

Hello, my name is Painted Desert, and I'm very flattered that you visitors to J'ellen's blog are interested in me! I'm a mustang stallion, and I live near the Cheyenne River, close to my owners, the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, in their 'stallion' area. Painted Lady, one of the original wild mares to be brought to the Sanctuary, was my mother. Me and some of the other mustang stallions are taking a rest from the Sanctuary here this summer. The folks at the Sanctuary think that I am gentle, kind, and have a great disposition, and they all seem to love me and my foals. Some of my foals from last year are at the Sanctuary waiting to go to their new homes. Thanks for asking about me!

A Waxwing on my Head, Snow in my Eyes

Here's documented proof that a cedar waxwing landed on a branch five feet above my head yesterday, at 'Bird Paradise' in the Southern-most part of the Black Hills. I was gob-smacked! I was just standing there, scanning the botany and minding my own business...I had to step back, away from him to get a better shot. A very magical moment!

This pretty wildflower is called snow-on-the-mountain (spurge family), easy to see why! It blooms in the Badlands area, and also the S. Black Hills, where I found it sprinkled everywhere Mon.

The monarchs have been sighted lately. This one is on swamp milkweed like the fritillary in yesterday's post, in the same area (Bird Paradise) by a creek. It wouldn't open it's wings. Sound familiar? OY.

Swamps, Spots, and Somethin' for Sheila

I hit the road today, despite the knowledge that the tourists would be thick as thieves...esp. since this is the week of Sturgis Bike Week, an annual event that normally brings well over 200,000 bikers (up to 400,000, but not this yr.)...from all over, and outside of, the US to the area. I hemmed and hawed a bit this a.m., then just grew a stiff upper lip and said, "Self, we're going in!"

As usual, I found plenty of nifty stuff. Not necessarily in this order...oops, I hate this posting last things first business... This fritillary butterfly on swamp milkweed was at a wayside park I call Bird Paradise, at the far-south end of the Black Hills. The butterflies were everywhere today.

I saw a 'doe' back in the woods below me at the French Creek Natural Area's trailhead in Custer Park today. (Before the butterfly.) When I zoomed in on 'her' I saw spots! There turned out to be two large fawns; they looked fully grown to me.

This photo's for you, Sheila; I agree it's nice to see more than just the bum of a bird in a pic (like the one below in my 8-2 post)! I didn't post this one before cause it's a bit blurry, but you can still see his head fairly well. Very pretty birds, but also very uncooperative. If you compare both photos, you can see he bounced from a twig on a branch, to a much larger branch...and then he bounced to some small, scrubby saplings...and then....

Hey, Jay!

Naturally, out of about six pics, this was the one that came out the sharpest of this blue jay. You'd think they'd be all over in the Hills, but I rarely see them! And they don't stay still when I do! Anyway, I took a drive into the E foothills Fri., and found this guy bouncing around.

My drive on Fri. also lead me to an area where the stiff sunflower was growing. It was a very blustery day so getting a clear shot was a bit of a challenge (nothing new!) I managed to capture a bee and its blur of wings as it zoomed in on the disk. Click on the pic to enlarge and see!

Blurry Birds Happen

For every nice, clear shot of our feathered friends, I get at least double the shots that are not. This is the plight of a bird-brain I'm afraid. I hate sharing the fuzzy fotos but unfocused fowl need love too...


A lone pied-billed grebe was floating on the smaller part of the large pond, E of the Hills on Tues. The pond is cut in two by the road, so there's really two separate ponds. FYI.



I can't tell what this is... prairie falcon? It was too far away to get a decent shot...as with all of the birds of prey I encounter. Well except that one gi-normous hawk I saw a few weeks ago close to the road..which, of course, flew off as soon as I stopped for a shot. Some day...

This red-tailed hawk was surveying the grassy landscape from the top of a powerline pole on Tues.

I saw this (red-tailed?) hawk land on a hay bale and watched it awhile, then realized it had a prey in its grasp, which it pecked at half-heartedly. When I tried to get closer for a clearer shot, it flew off. I still had no idea what was for lunch until I got home and zoomed the pics...

Oh, ewww! A snake!