Grass Widow “Olsynium douglasii var inflatum” Iris Family (Iridaceae). Perennial, plants 6-12″ tall, flowers lavender, occasionally magenta or white, 3/4-1″ diameter, blooms in early spring in moist open areas that dry out in summer. This variety is enlarged at the base of the filament and the tips of the petals are pointed. Widespread in Eastern Or & Wa and in S.W. Or. Photo: Mt Emily near La Grande, Or 4/28/2006
Black-Tailed Deer “Odocoileus hemionus columbianus. Sub species of the mule deer found west of the Cascades in Or & Wa. This is probably a yearling doe. Photo: N.W. Trek near Eatonville, Wa west of Mt Rainier 11/14/2009
Bald Eagle “Haliaeetus leucocephalus” Length, 30″, wingspan 80″ and weight 9 pounds. The white feathers characteristic of the adults appear when they are four years old. Females are approximately 50% larger than the male. Eagles feed mainly on fish and waterfowl . Photo: N.W. Trek near Eatonville, Wa just west of Mt Rainier 11/14/2009
Northern Pygmy Owl “Glaucidium gnoma” Length 7″, wing span 12″ and weight 2.5 oz. These little guys are more apt to be heard than seen and their call is more of a little toot instead of a hoot. Photo: Oregon Caves, Or 4/29/2007
Bicolor Triteleia “Triteleia grandiflora var howellii” Perennial, scaly corm, leaves grass like, flowers tubular and white with blue stripe. Blooms in late spring in grassland in the Columbia River Gorge, Siskiyou Mts and Blue Mts. Photo: The Dalles Mt in the Columbia River Gorge 5/05/2007,
Broad-leaf Lupine “Lupinus latifolius var thompsonianus” Pea Family (Fabaceae) Perennial, plant 1-3′ tall, flowers blue or purple with white or yellow area that darkens with age, leaves with multiple divisions and long soft hairs. Blooms spring-summer in open meadows in the Columbia River Gorge. Photo: The Dalles Mt., Wa. 5/05/2007
Prairie Smoke “Geum triflorum” Rose Family (Rosaceae) Perennial, plant 12-18″ tall, the sepals form a brick-red cup, the less prominent petals may be red, cream or yellow, the leaves are divided into many segments. Blooms in early late spring-early summer in Eastern Or & Wa, Saddle Mt near Seaside and the Olympic Mts. The seeds have feathery plumes up to 2″ long. Photo: Mt. Emily near La Grande, OR. 6/13/07
Yellow Salsify “Tragopogon dubius” Sunflower Family (Asteraceae) Annual or Biennial, plant 1-3′ tall, stem enlarged just below the flower head, flowers pale yellow and they close when it is night or cloudy, bracts longer than ray flowers, seed heads large and globular and larger than a dandelion. Blooms in summer throughout Or and Wa in disturbed soil and along roadsides. Weedy plant originally from Europe. Photo: Zumwalt Prairie in N.E. Or 6/26/2004
Tall Bluebells “Mertensia paniculata” Borage Family (Boraginaceae). Perennial plant 2-5′ tall, blue & occasionally pink bell shaped flowers in loose clusters. Blooms in early summer in the moist meadows of the Cascades, Blue Mts of Or and Wa and the Olympics Mts in Wa. Photo: South of Lostine in N.E. Or. 6/28/2004
Tapertip Onion “Allium acuminatum” Lily Family (Liliaceae) Perennial with bulb, plant 6-12″ tall, grass like leaves that wither prior to flowering, flower clusters rose to purple and occasionally white, distinct odor of onions. Blooms in early summer in dry rocky sites in Eastern & Western Or. & Wa. Photo: Zumwalt Prairie in N.E. OR 6/27/2004