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Eared Grebe “Podiceps nigricollis” Length 13″, wingspan 16″ and weight 11 ounces.  Photo:  South of Burns, OR 5/30/2010

Sandhill Crane “Grus canadensis”  Length 46″, wingspan 77″ and weight 10 pounds.  Photo:  Along Hwy 205 near French Glen in S.E. OR  5/31/2010

Ballhead Waterleaf “Hydrophyllum capitatum var capitatum”  Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae) Perennial, plant 5-15″ tall, flowers under leaves and purple to white in a ball shaped head.  Blooms in the spring in a variety  of habitats in Eastern OR and WA.  Photo:  Yellow Jacket Lake  north of Burns 5/30/2010

Wyoming Paintbrush “Castilleja linarifolia” Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae)  Perennial, plant 1-3′ tall, leaves with rolled edges and turning from gray-green to purple, flowers tubular and yellow-green, colorful bracts orange to red.  Summer blooming in in dry sagebrush in Eastern OR.  Photo:  Near the Alvord Desert in S.E. OR 5/30/2010

Beckwith Violet  ”Viola beckwithii”  Violet Family (Violaceae)  Perennial, plant 1-2″ inches tall, leaves divided into multiple segments, upper petals are purple and lower petals range from white to blue with yellow centers and purple markings.  Blooms in the spring in dry areas in Eastern OR.  Photo:  North of Burns, OR  5/30/2010

Loggerhead Shrike “Lanius ludovicianus” Length 9″, wingspan 12″ and weight 1.7 oz.  Shrikes are a predatory species and they impale their prey on thorns and barbed wire.  Photo:  Near Burns, OR  5/30/2010

Photo:  Near Burns, OR   7/06/2009

Giant-Headed Clover “Trifolium macrocephalum”.  Pea Family (Fabaceae) Perennial, plant 3-8″ tall, flower heads 2 to 3″ in diameter and white to lavender.  Blooms in late spring in the rocky soils East of the Cascade Mountains.  This our largest and prettiest clover.  Photo:  In the foothills West of the Alvord Desert 5/29/2010

Desert Yellow Daisy “Erigeron linearis” Aster Family (Asteraceae) Perennial, plant 4-10″ tall, basal leaves 1-3″ long, bright yellow ray flowers (20-40) and yellow disk flowers.  Blooms all summer in dry rocky soils in Eastern OR & WA.  Photo:  West of Alvord Lake in S.E. OR HWY  5/29/2010

Elegant Lupine “Lupinus lepidus var lepidus” Family (Fabaceae) Perennial,  Plant 3-8″ tall, leaves divided into 6-9 leaflets, flowers deep violet with white or yellow banner patch. Blooms in early summer in gravelly soil in most areas in OR & WA.  Photo:  West of the Alvord Desert in S.E. OR 5/29/2010

Redhead “Aythya americana”  Length 19″, wingspan 29″ and weight 2.3 pounds.  The males have blue bills during the breeding season. Photo: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns, OR 5/29/2010