Mid-June on the Drive

June 21, 2011. On the wildlife drive. The seasonal parade of bloom continues. The lupine flowers that filled the fields with blue-on-blue two weeks ago have become the familiar pea-like seed pods. But new marchers have joined the parade. The cool wet weather has helped extend the bloom times of some and probably suppressed others. Here's what I noticed today.

Hoary puccoon, above, signals the shift from springtime's blue and white color theme to summertime's yellows and reds. This year the blooms are spectacular and seem to be longer lasting than usual. The flowers seem to be lighter yellow, less orange in tone this year.

Prairie rose is another early summer plant that signals a shift in nature's color scheme that changes with the seasons. The roses are just starting to open and should make a gorgeous display in the days ahead.

Another harbinger of summer is the prairie phlox. It brightens the early summer prairie with its outstandingly pink bouquets. Like all the prairie flowers we should enjoy it while it's here for it will soon be only a memory until next year.

The slender penstemon, or beards tongue, is about at its peak. Not the most noticeable of spring bloomers, a close up view of its unique tubular flowers is a joy. As the roses lead us into summer the blooming of the penstemons is one of springs ways of signaling us farewell.

The eastern kingbird, a member of the flycatcher family is one of the most common summer birds on the Wildlife Drive.To me it always seems that the eastern kingbird carries an air of elegance unless - - -

it happens to be a cold, wet, wind-tossed individual like this one.

This killdeer, nesting in the road at the Nelson Pool overlook, escaped the wind. A member of the sandpiper family, killdeers seem to think that any patch of gravel is a good nest site.

It's always fun to look in on the Canada goose families to see how the young ones are coming along. A few weeks ago these little ones were just tiny puffs of yellow. How quickly time must seem to pass if you're a goose.