Jeanne and I made another trip back to visit Austin’s place. I had a couple of plants I decided I wanted to collect for the herbarium.
I left the house to head for Austin’s. Jeanne and I wanted to beat the heat that day.
Duck tracks in the path!
I took this photo to show how many trees were lost when the very hot fire raced through a year ago. The Stiff Sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus) stood tall in front and the Mare’s Tail or Horseweed (Conyza canadensis var carnadensis) was filling in the void under the burnt trees.
A chain, charred wood, screws, and shell casings were left.
A Turkey Vulture flew over. Imagine the peaceful country side.
Indeed not many seeds left on the Prairie Gaillardia (Gaillardia aestivalis)!
Then I started looking at the nearby stages of the Prairie Gaillardia (Gaillardia aestivalis) from oldest to fresher.
Further along.
Still a few ray flowers on this one.
The ray flowers still attached with only a couple of the disk flowers remaining. Each stage was as beautiful as the next.
We chatted with Austin after we had concluded our early morning outing. Then Austin told us he had seen four of these beauties over the past week or so. It is a threatened species, Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)! According to TPWD, it is the second largest venomous snake in TX and third in the US. Primary threats are habitat loss. Certainly I am envious of Austin’s sighting. I have only see one once. Thanks Austin for sharing your photo!
Beautiful snake and love the duck prints. Now tell us what kind of duck made them😉
Well we did see duck decoys on the first trip!
I had forgotten about the decoys. So maybe the decoys had a Pinocchio moment but in plastic and grew legs.😉
I love the stages of the prairie gaillardia. Snake is a beauty. I’ve never seen this species.
Great day!! love the Gaillardia series.