Predominant: Dandelion, Thistle, Primrose, ...

Lots of butterfies lately. Here's one on a Dandelion bloom. Note the odd similarity of colors - maybe it's not a coincidence?

One morning we walked and I saw over 200 birds in two large flocks followed by 3 smaller ones. This was the clearest picture I got. All were heading pretty much due north.

I hadn't ever seen this pink and yellow flower before, but I saw at least a dozen specimens this weekend in 3 areas. It's surprising... Smarty pants id'ed it as Rose Gentian, also called Texas Star. I think I like the "Texas Star" name the best. The other name is confusing and too close to a body part...

I thought this was just another thistle plant until it bloomed. Lyndy thought it might be a poppy and she was right. Prickly poppies seemed to be a close match, but wildflower.org had even more varieties but omitted the variety of the first link. I can't tell the difference! One website considers it a recreational drug.

I wonder why the Spider Milkweed (Antelope Horns) is so named - it could be because the entire plant resembles an spider with ball-feet legs, or it could be the blooms parts. Wonder what this spider thinks ... Check out the various uses for this plant. Oddly enough, this link thinks it is found in several counties in the panhandle, but only one in the rest of Texas, right here in Williamson!

There are several of these young plants on one lot, but I don't remember seeing the fall foilage last year in this spot. Iit will be fun watching these grow and to see if they are a variety of Sumac, or maybe something else entirely.