Splendid day in Montague County Sept 18
It was a nice day for a drive in Montague County. The air was a bit hazy but the temp was wonderful.
View of the hazy weather.
A pond slider was really taking in the view. Maybe it was enjoy watching us as we were watching it. We also saw at another creek, 10 or more young soft shelled turtles. Never seen that many before.
In the same creek, this yellow-bellied water snake came into view.
It swam near the turtle then went up the bank.
Gayfeather (Liatris mucronata) is starting to bloom.
This bee fly (Exoprosopa genus) was sipping on the gayfeather
Canada geese and mushrooms along the shore of Lake Nocona
The Dayflower (Commelina erecta var angustifolia) up here is a lot larger than the tiny ones at my house this year.
The Longleaf Wild Buckwheat (Eriogonum longifolium) was spectacular today!
Closeup of Buckwheat
Spotted Bird Grasshopper was on the Buckwheat.
The back of the Common Sunflower is very cool. I think as cool as the face of the flower.
Grasshopper looks a little chubby LOL
Checkered Setwing
Prickly Poppy (Argemone albiflora)
When you first break a Prickly-poppy, the sap is bright yellow. I am assuming it must turn black after it gets old.
Bullnettle (Cnidoscolus texanus) flowers are so white! I keep watching for a caterpillar on one, but have not found one yet.
Funny thing about this moth is that I had put out tomato plants this year to try to attract its caterpillar. No luck ;-( Five-spotted Hawk Moth (Manduca quinquemaculatus) was stuck on the barb by a Loggerhead Shrike.
We saw 6-8 of the shrikes. Also had a Broad-winged Hawk, Great Blue Heron, vultures and crows.
On one road, the fence was just covered with the Morning-glories.
Wild Morning-glory (Ipomoea cordatotriloba)
Blue Salvia (Salvia azurea) was just gorgeous!
The shades of colors ranged from this deep blue to light blue.
Prickly-poppies (Argemone albiflora) were in quite a few of the fields and along side the roads.
Grasshopper didn’t mind the spines and glochids.
Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia)
Pink Smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica) were in some of the low spots in the cultivated fields. We looked for shorebirds but no luck today.
Closeup
Gumweed (Grindelia)
The bumble bees liked it too!
Green Lynx spider
While we stood there, it caught this wasp! Lunch! Yum!
Fairy ring!
The fairy rings that I have gotten in my yard have always been white mushrooms.
These were light tan and were sticky to the touch.
Everything beautiful! What eats bull nettle? My blue sage are blooming too.
I knew you would ask that 🙂 At the time I could not remember what cat was suppose to be there. But looking in the Peterson guide, I see that Red Admirals and other commas are supposed to like nettles BUT now I have looked further and Bullnettle is not in the right family. I think the family Peterson guide refers to is Urticaceae. I have noticed that something nibbles on it sometimes. So I will keep looking.