Harvest time, prairie wildflowers and butterflies

This year was my first for capturing golden wheat ready for harvest.  It was the same time wild prairie roses bloom along with the milkweed and blue sage wildflowers.  The pearl crescent butterflies took advantage of the milkweed plant and didn't mind being photographed, letting me get real close to them.  My favorite images captured on this beautiful day in June are included below.  Enjoy!

Pretty prairie wildflowers!

Purple coneflowers are very abundant on the Smith Ranch and are one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the Spring.

This is the first time this leadplant has bloomed on the ranch since we've been here.  The orange and purple blossoms were so pretty!  It is so named because of the grey, lead-colored leaves. The Lakota Indians used the leaves to make tea to drink.

We've have an abundance of black-eyed susans along our long driveway this year and the below image were some near our mailbox.  We are using this image on the front cover of our business cards that we just ordered.

Another abundant flower this year is this bractless brookweed.  They bloomed in white and in yellow petals like this one below.

This hoary vervain wildflower with its pretty lavender petals has been a faithful plant to bloom every year.

The common milkweed which grows along the gravel road attracts the Monarch butterfly though I haven't yet been able to capture them together during my photo excursions!

This mint-leaf beebalm that grows in a certain area in our pasture is a welcome addition to flower gardens. The pink blooms attract bees and other native pollinators.

These showy yellow Missouri evening primroses are so pretty against a greenery background!

The two images below of musk thistles are also newly bloomed wildflowers since we've been here seven years.

These prairie wild roses are common alongside the gravel road and they are definitely like a rose as their stems are thorny!

Hope you enjoyed these pretty wildflowers that grow on the prairies of our beautiful state of Kansas!

A meadowlark's visit, butterflies, and wildflowers

I had been watching the milkweed that grew along the roadside front of our property and wanted to capture them at their prime.  It was a rainy morning and when the rain let up I got in my car and headed down the road bordering our property.  All of these images were taken with my Canon 100-400mm lens as I either sat in the drivers seat or moved over to the passenger side.  The first three images below are Common Milkweed.  Since milkweed attracts Monarch butterflies, I was hoping to get the Monarch in action.  I didn't see a Monarch butterfly but did see a Monarch caterpillar and could have kicked myself for not getting an image!  I didn't realize till I came back home and studied them that that's what it was!  See below for the remaining flower descriptions and I solicit your help in identifying the bird shown below.

I don't think this is a Monarch as it doesn't have the patterns on it like a Monarch butterfly.

This Goatsbeard flower is similar to a dandelion and when it is fruited it is much bigger than a fruited dandelion.

I forced myself to keep calm and try to capture this Western Meadow Lark who was so close to me.  I got so excited that he was so close!  

Catclaw Sensitive-Briar are so pretty against a green background and the pink colors look rich when the sun is not out!

These Daisy Fleabane grow plentiful out here.  The reason for their name is the settlers felt that this, and related plants, would keep fleas away.

I often see these prairie wild roses along the roadside and was pleased to capture this in my morning excursion!

This is a Wavy-leaf Thistle before it blooms with their lavender, thread-like, tubular flowers crowded into a single head.  Though it looks like a weed, I thought the pattern was interesting!