There's a little side road not far from my house that I've been meaning to check out for the longest time. When I travel the highway and look over at this spot, there's a riot of yellow, so I knew that there must be some good stuff down this way. Wow, I was not disappointed. There's a small stream that flows threw this area and the native vegetation was in full bloom. There were lots of butterflies and dragonflies in the area, along with a couple of hummingbirds and other songbirds calling from the trees along the stream bank.
The riot of yellow was actually all these small sunflowers. What a great food source right now for the butterflies and bees. Later, when these dry they will be a valuable winter food source for the native songbirds that call this area home along with our visiting winter migrants.
These ripening elderberries with help nourish our native songbirds and will provide fuel for those that migrate South for the winter.
Found along the banks of the small stream was large patches of Jewelweed, or Spotted Touch-Me-Not. There was a hummingbird feeding on one of these blooms, but I wasn't quick enough to capture it.
Really an interesting plant, I love the orange yellow color of these flowers.
There were also a dozen or so Bull Thistles in bloom. The flowers look quite puffy and soft, but the stems and leaves are quite thorny. I don't what the 'value' of these are, but I'm sure that the seeds are consumed by songbirds in the winter months.
This is definately an area that I'm going to have to come back to very soon.
There's a little side road not far from my house that I've been meaning to check out for the longest time. When I travel the highway and look over at this spot, there's a riot of yellow, so I knew that there must be some good stuff down this way. Wow, I was not disappointed. There's a small stream that flows threw this area and the native vegetation was in full bloom. There were lots of butterflies and dragonflies in the area, along with a couple of hummingbirds and other songbirds calling from the trees along the stream bank.
The riot of yellow was actually all these small sunflowers. What a great food source right now for the butterflies and bees. Later, when these dry they will be a valuable winter food source for the native songbirds that call this area home along with our visiting winter migrants.
These ripening elderberries with help nourish our native songbirds and will provide fuel for those that migrate South for the winter.
Found along the banks of the small stream was large patches of Jewelweed, or Spotted Touch-Me-Not. There was a hummingbird feeding on one of these blooms, but I wasn't quick enough to capture it.
Really an interesting plant, I love the orange yellow color of these flowers.
There were also a dozen or so Bull Thistles in bloom. The flowers look quite puffy and soft, but the stems and leaves are quite thorny. I don't what the 'value' of these are, but I'm sure that the seeds are consumed by songbirds in the winter months.
This is definately an area that I'm going to have to come back to very soon. 
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5 comments:
pretty photos! I love jewelweed. It is the best poison ivy/poison oak remedy that I've ever come across. And the flowers are so cool.
Love the small sunflowers and thistles! Great captures. It gray here in Michigan, your flowers brightened up my day!
I never knew that about the jewelweed, Katie, until I looked these up in the field guide-good to know.
Thanks CelticCat~I'm so glad-they are quite cheerful.
Beautiful pics, sigh, makes me want to go for a summer stroll :o)
Fantastic Photos!! I'm follower #50!
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