Bluebird

A bluebird (Sialia sialis) sits in the setting sun at Tippecanoe River State Park.  Photo taken July 27, 2019.

Link to previous post on Sialia sialis:

The catbird seat

A catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) sits in its catbird seat.  The catbird cares nothing of baseball but will spend its time where it is most comfortable, and that is hidden away under dense cover of vegetation.  Despite usually being hidden from view, we often hear the mewling of the catbird as we walk through the woods.  

This is near the bank of the Tippecanoe River, at Tippecanoe River State Park, July 27, 2019.

Link to catbird:

The Wikipedia article on catbird seat falls short of explaining how our language comes from the observation and knowledge of nature.  Any child growing up in rural America before the age of television would play in the woods and know where the catbird sits.

Link to Wikipedia article on catbird seat:

Bullfrog

A bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) sits and waits in the marsh at Tippecanoe River State Park.  Photo taken July 27, 2019.

Link to bullfrog:

Link to bullfrog:

Link to Tippecanoe River State Park:

Six-lined racerunner

Six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) at Kankakee Sands Nature Preserve, Newton County.

This was on the trail on the sand hill by the bison viewing parking lot.  Several lizards were running about near this trail.  

Photo taken July 21, 2019. 

Link to Cnemidophorus sexlineatus:

Link to Cnemidophorus sexlineatus:

Heal-all and plantain

Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata) and plantain (Plantago rugelii) along the northern section of the bicycle trail at Ft. Benjamin Harrison State Park, Marion County.  Heal-all is quite common for some distance along this trail here.  Photo taken July 11, 2019.

Link to previous post on Prunella vulgaris:

Link to Plantago rugelii:

Link to Ft. Harrison State Park:

Cliff swallows

A colony of cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrronota) nesting on the underside of the bridge just south of the pedestrian bridge at Lafayette.  The nests are made of mud and are placed at the top of the vertical surface seen in the photo.  This is the first time I have seen cliff swallows nesting in this area.

Here is a wider view of the same scene, as seen from the pedestrian bridge.  Photos taken July 7, 2019.

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Sand cress and prickly pear cactus

Sand cress (Arabidopsis lyrata) and prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) in sand along Trail 3 of Indiana Dunes State Park.  The grass in the picture is probably marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata).

A closer look at the flower of sand cress. 

Marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata).  Roots stabilizing the sand near the lakeshore.  Just east of the public beach at the State Park.  

Photos taken June 14, 2019.

Link to Arabidopsis lyrata:

Link to previous post on prickly pear cactus:

Link to Ammophila breviligulata:

Link to Ammophila breviligulata:

Link to map of Indiana Dunes State Park:

Puccoon at Indiana Dunes State Park

Puccoon (Lithospermum sp.) in sand at Indiana Dunes State Park, Porter County.  Probably Lithospermum croceum.  According to Wilhelm & Rericha's Flora of the Chicago Region, p. 682-683, this sand habitat indicates Lithospermum croceum rather than Lithospermum canescens.  "L. croceum [is found where there is] a dry single-grained sandy soil (Entisol)"

Photo taken June 14, 2019.

Link to previous post on Lithospermum canescens:

Silver-spotted skipper on Leonurus cardiaca

Silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) on motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca).  Along the Wabash River trail at Lafayette.  Photo taken July 6, 2019.

Link to Epargyreus clarus:

Link to previous post on Epargyreus clarus:

Link to previous post on Leonurus cardiaca:

Teucrium canadense

Germander (Teucrium canadense), along the Wabash River trail at Lafayette.

A closer look at the flowers.  Photo taken July 6, 2019.

Link to Teucrium canadense:

Link to Teucrium canadense:

Link to Teucrium canadense: