Common Snipe “Gallinago gallinago” Length 10″, wing span 18″ and weight 3.7 oz. Yes there really is a snipe. These birds circle high in the air and dive down at high speed producing a low, pulsing whistling sound. (From Sibley’s “Guide to Birds”). Photo: Near Burns, Or 6/28/2009
Heart-leaved Miners Lettuce “Claytonia cordifolia” Purslane Family (Portulaceae) Perennial or annual. Plant 6-12″ tall, leaves somewhat fleshy, flowers white with five 1/2″ petals. Blooms spring to early summer in the damp woods in the mountains of Or & Wa, Notice the mosquitos proboscis extends clear to the bottom of the flower. Photo: Strawberry Mt near Seneca, Or 6/20/09
Black-crowned Night-Heron “Nycticorax nycticorax” Length 25″, Wingspan 44″ and 1.9 lbs. These stocky birds generally roost during the day and forage in pond and marshes at night. Photo: Malheur National Bird Refuge near Burns, Or 6/21/2009
Mountain Gooseberry “Ribes montigenum” Gooseberry Family “Grossulariaceae” Perennial, low sprawling shrub with prickles. Leaves five lobed and approx 1″ across. Flowers with prominent greenish-white to dark pink sepals and small white to pink to red petals. Blooms in summer at higher altitudes in Eastern Or & Wa. Photo: Strawberry Mt near Seneca, Or 6/20/2007
Black-necked Stilt “Himantopus mexicanus” Length 14″, wingspan 29″ and weight 6 oz. Photo: Malheur National Bird Refuge near Burn’s Or 6/21/2009
American Avocet “Recurvirostra americana” Length 18″, wingspan 31″ and weight 11 oz. Photo: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Or 6/21/2009
Yes, there really are Lewisias and Clarkias. Elkhorns aka “Clarkia pulchella” (pretty clarkia) are found throughout Eastern Oregon. On Zumwalt Prairie north of Joseph, they show up as big patches of pink. Four three lobed petals with a conspicuous four lobed white stigma, waiting for some unsuspecting insect to distribute pollen. I never really noticed the four coiled anthers until after I had looked at the picture. This annual blooms in early summer.
Photo: NE of Prineville 7/10/07 © 2007 mkellar
Great Blue Heron “Andea herodias” Length 46″. wingspan 72″ and weight 5.3 lbs, This long legged bird is common seen wading in shallow ponds throughout the United States. Photo: Trojan Ponds near Rainier, Or 6/11/2009
Dwarf Skullcap “Scutellaria nana” Mint Family “Lamiaceae” Perennial, Plant 3-6″ tall, leaves basal, flowers 3/4″ and tubular with a ridge, white to light yellow and lower lip purple spotted. Blooms early summer in dry volcanic soils in Or and Wa Photo near Bend Or 6/9/2009
Threadleaf Phacelia “Phacelia linearis” Wateleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae) Annual, plant 4-18″ tall. Leaves linear. Flowers approx 1/2″ in diameter and purple with white or pale blue centers. Blooms early summer in sandy soils in Eastern Or. & Wa. Photo: Near Bend, Or 6/09/2009