Four-Wheeling Finds in E Hills

Last Sunday the Huz and I took a 4-wheeler trail ride in the E Hills...we have easy access to a trail from our house and we'd probably use it a lot more if we were younger and less affected by the lumpy-bumpiness of the ride...it can wear on a body...thankfully some of the trail is fairly smooth...

We took a side trail off the main one and took a break in our usual spot...out in the peaceful, quiet woods...until this chipmunk came out to tell us emphatically and in no uncertain terms that we were disrupting the natural balance of things, and encroaching on its territory...

The stiff sunflower it turns out...am hoping to see the Nuttall's sunflower...and the Maximillian, which blooms in Aug....

With all the rain we've had this spring/summer, I knew that the pinedrops would be abundant this year. It's from the Indian Pipe Family, very unique as you can see. They're a saprophyte, the roots carry a fungi that enables it to take 'food' from things that are rotting in the soil. Native Americans in E. No. America used the mashed stems of pinedrops as a treatment for saddle sores on their horses. FYI.

I've been looking for a shot of the goatsbeard (a.k.a. yellow salsify) where the two stages are together...the yellow flower matures into this 'dandelion' type orb...properly known as long-beaked achenes. It's waaay larger than a dandelion achenes, tho, at about 3-4" in diameter.

The  trail...

Above, white prairie clover, below the purple prairie clover...they're legumes...as you can see, they bloom from the bottom, up...

While stopped at a favored spot, a field where wildflowers grow...I wandered under the trees behind the field, following a very loud, startling bird sound...didn't find the bird but another one, this Western tanager, found me...not the same one I'd taken photos of previously in a nearby spot...not sure if this is a female or immature/non-breeding male.

Next I'll post more from this outing, including the reason I wanted to be at that particular field...