another wall of an abandoned prairie school ... lots of great walls here ... more coming

Found this gem east of Airdrie, Alberta.

Prairie Falcon back on wintering territory in Pitt Meadows for 6th winter.

First State NHP--Brandywine Valley Unit (PA)

Young Black-tailed Prairie Dogs

Weld County, Colorado

A Prairie Warbler vising my backyard.

I had up to four Prairie Warblers in my yard during this migration season. This Prairie Warbler is the most frequent visitor this season so far.

While we were driving past a huge prairie dog town in Custer State Park, all of them were running from our van except for this little guy. Mike had to get out and chase him away to make sure he stayed safe. Here’s hoping he doesn’t keep approaching vehicles!

Compare this to the previous post, which had prairie smoke flowers. After the flowers are pollinated and the seeds are developing, the flowers turn from pendant to upright. When seeds are ready to disperse, long filaments develop, ready to loft the seeds on the next breeze.

At a close view, one can see the petals inside of the sepals and bracts filaments that have not yet elongated.

North Boulder, Colorado. Taken while hiking the Digge, Hidden Valley, and Mesa Reservoir trails.

Long and slender, inside an aquarium at the F.L. Schlagle Library & Environmental Learning Center.

Non-venomous and can eat other snakes including venomous ones since they are immune to their venom. 30-42 inches in length.

Hello from Utah! We just finished up our first photo tour here and this Prairie was certainly one of the stars of the trip.

www.studebakerstudio.com

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This is my first Prairie falcon of the season, a long shot with lens creep (483 vs 600) photographed at the AGT, Edmonton. Alberta.

Three Falcons showed up, Merlin, Prairie and Gyfalcon

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Some places you find, you just want to go back time and time again...this is one of those places..:)

Thank you so much for your kind visits and comments! I appreciate everyone one..:)

One of the things I love about the planting at Sussex Prairie Garden is the way it combines ornamental grasses - some of them huge - with flowers. Here, I've let one of the grasses be the star for once.

Sussex Prairie is open for just the month of August but the colours are always a spectacular backdrop for my bee images.

Farm land in Stutsman County, North Dakota.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to visit.

Beautiful Aurora dancing in the night sky above the Alberta prairies.

Magee Marsh, Ohio

Falco columbarius richardsonii female or immature,

Carrizo Plain National Monument,

San Luis Obispo Co., California

Later note: when a friend asked me about the name Prairie Merlin and wondered if it had anything to do with Prairie Falcon, a distinct other species, I realized explanation may be due. "Prairie Merlin" is a Merlin subspecies which breeds in s.-central Canada and n. U.S. prairie states.

South Dakota

Bison at Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma

The male Prairie Warbler sings two song types, which closely resemble each other but differ subtly in volume and speed. The faster "Group A" song is directed at the female, for courtship and maintenance of the pair bond. The "Group B" song is sung at territory boundaries to deter other males.

If you like this and some of my other images, I invite you to take a look at my wildlife/birding blog, which I try to update every few days. ... grenfell.weebly.com and my web page at www.tekfx.ca

I appreciate your feedback and comments! so feel free to contact me for any reason. I can be reached at bill@tekfx.ca or on Flickrmail

All images are copyright. Please don't use this, or any other of my, images, on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission © All rights reserved

An incredible storm as the sun was setting outside of Prairie City, Oregon. It was the prettiest one I've seen (so far).

Ohio, USA

A wildflower

This prairie falcon is a lifer for me.

I thought this might be an orange crowned warbler but now think it is a prairie warbler. If anyone can identify it with certainty, I would appreciate it !

Abandoned school on Stage Road, a half-mile from the historic Hat Creek Stagecoach Station, northeast of Lusk, Wyoming in Niobrara County.

I couldn’t find any information online about the school, but it must be old, with the water pump and the horse hitching post in the yard.

This was along one of the most dangerous parts of the Cheyenne-Deadwood stagecoach line, established when gold was discovered in the Black Hills in 1874. Highway robberies and attacks by Indians defending their land were common, and the Army established a small post nearby to protect miners traveling along the road.

After shooting the school, I saw some nice shots at the station, but unfortunately it started pouring rain.

First State NHP--Brandywine Valley Unit (New Castle, DE)

Prairie Warbler

I'm not sure why with the wide variety of flowering plants of the tallgrass prairie, but Blazing Star seems to me to be the most iconic. They were putting on a show on our recent trip to the Jacob Krumm prairie.

Tuxedo Park, NY

Warbler photo workshop with rayhennessy.com

I drove through this wicked storm on the way home from Saskatchewan last week.

These wildflowers are also called Mexican Hats (Ratibida columnifera) due to the shape of the crown. They grow across much of Texas and the Great Plains states.

A bit of color for the middle of the week. This Prairie Warbler caught my eye on an outing not too long ago and actually perched in a semi open spot long enough for me to get a few shots.

Clouds floating above the crops

Smile on Saturday - Floating

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission.

© All rights reserved

Prairie Falcon with lunch (pigeon).

Photographed at the AGT Bldg.

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Camas Prairie