Sedona AZ

I'M  BACK ON THE TRAIL!!!

This time I am in North Central Arizona.  In Sedona where the red rock landscapes are so picturesque no wonder a lot of western movies were made here. There are a lot of trails and parks here at the foothills of these beautiful escarpments.

Yellows and Purples compliment...

Aster and Pink Edged Sulphur

Common Yellow Throat

Asters are the food source this week. Every plant had hungry insects on them. From Bees to this Pink- edged Sulphur Butterfly like this one. I also saw this little guy out on the trail. This I believe is a male Common Yellow Throat warbler, he with his yellow breast was well camouflaged amongst all the  fall  yellowed plants on the trail . He was hard to spot until he gave himself away with his quick deliberate movements in the low thick cover. He was fun to watch. I coaxed him closer by forcing air between my clenched teeth so I could get a closer photo of him.

So Lots of Yellows and Purples this week see you out there on the trail...

Fall....

Yes I'm back on the trail this week and it's fall at the Hartman Reserve. Lots of color and changes going on . Most summer flowers are no longer in bloom and have went to seed . The fall flowers now reign with  fragrance  so as to attract the insects that pollinate them. This week fall made it's presence but the colors aren't at there peak yet. So I plan on getting out on the trail and enjoying even more of these colorful scenes.









A reminder, I will be having an exhibit of my work at the
UNI book store November 1 and the original for Hartman will be on display.

Original...

24 x 12

Here is the original for the Hartman Reserve. This painting will be auctioned off at their fund raiser November 4th.  I haven't been on the trail lately because I have been working on this painting. I choose to have several subjects to try and show some of what you can see and experience at the Hartman Reserve.

I do plan on returning to the trail to see the  Hartman Reserve in it's fall colors.  See you on the trail!

Reds...

Royal Catchfly (Silene Regia)

This flower which is in decline among our prairies is Royal
Catch fly. It's stem and pedals are sticky, small insects will stick to
them.    Some butterflies can detect red, and the Catchfly is designed to favor the Butterfly as the pollinator.

    The nectar of the flowers attract the larger butterflies such as Black Swallow Tail and also the Rubbythroated  Humming Bird.
 The Crimson Red of this flower really stood out against all  the green foliage out  on the trail.

Also  I came across this very conspicuous wooded plant .  With it's  cluster of red berries. This, I believe is the Red Bane Berry. I read that the berries are poisonous.










So this week out on the trail it was about Reds...

More than just birds .......

TBM Avenger 3E

There were more than just birds and butterflies flying around over the trail this week.  This TBM Avenger flew right over me and I definitely heard it before I saw it.  The engine made a very distinct sound. This,  the heaviest single engine Torpedo Bomber of World War 2 came into view. What a sight to see!  This plane was used at the battle of Midway. 

Giant Swallow Tail

 Back to the trail. Thistle was the food source this week. Every group of plants I came to had butterflies on them. I got real close to this Giant as it feed. They are the largest of the Swallow tails, hence the name Giant Swallow Tail. I also saw the two color phases of the Tiger Swallow Tail.  Notice the  faint stripes of the dark phase on the inside wing, below the beautiful Tiger Swallow Tail ( Light Phase).

There are two phases of the Tiger Swallow Tail here is the dark.  This is the first time I have been able to witness the two phases in the field. 
 

Tiger  Swallow Tail ( dark phase)

Tiger Swallow Tail

 So it goes to show...you never know what you are going to see on the trail!

What have we here...

Grass Spider

 While walking the trails this week I saw this interesting fellow on the Kay Romanin Bridge.  It looked rather large and I estimated very carefully that it wouldn't have fit in the  palm of my hand. I believe this is a Grass spider.

Male Pileated

Here is a sketch of a Male Pileated.
Being out on the trail I haven't herd or seen them yet. I have seen possible cavity nest sites but their young are most likely fledged by now. I will  be out there on the trails and keeping my eyes open for  a glance at the magnificent bird.