It was incredible on the prairies in Cooke County today! Every year I try to make it up to these prairies. Furthermore every year I am so gratefully to the the land stewards that care for these prairies! Thank you!!!
The Lemon Paintbrush (Castilleja citrina) were the dominant paintbrush in this prairie.
There were a few that looked like hybrids.
Tons of Greenthread (Thelesperma filifolium) were there! Look at the back two toned sepals which is unique to this species. Most had not started blooming.
Momentarily we looked up. The Franklin Gulls called out as they twirled in a tornado-like kettle. Additionally we heard Eastern Meadowlarks, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Upland Sandpipers!
If you crush the leaf of Two-flowered Milkvine (Matelea biflora) it smells a bit of burnt rubber. However we didn’t check that today. 😉
Many of the Yellow Flax (Linum rigidum) petals had dropped!
Spectacular!
Then we reached the motherlode of the Shooting Stars (Primula meadia)!!
There were multiple shades of the jaw-dropping Shooting Stars!
More from the Cooke County’s incredible prairies tomorrow!
It was an incredible view – everything was gorgeous. Definitely looking forward to annual trips there.
The dinosaur tracks are really cool. And hurray for Canada supporting all that research.
I didn’t know about the green thread sepals. Very handy. Great about preserving dinosaur tracks!
I have never seen so many shooting stars. Amazing. And the yellow paintbrush is gorgeous. What a find.
Whoa! Gorgeous!
It was an incredible view – everything was gorgeous. Definitely looking forward to annual trips there.
The dinosaur tracks are really cool. And hurray for Canada supporting all that research.
Wow!!