Kane County Reserve Part 2

Check out this Giant Swallowtail!  Today I decided to walk along the trail at the forest preserve near out house.
Near a bank I came across this beautiful butterfly.

He was sitting in the mud and looked like he was sucking on something.

He seemed to be rocking in the mud

I was able to get all of these pictures, while it sat for me.  I could circle around it to take the pictures.

 Crescentspot

There are several different Crescentspot butterflies.

Not the greatest picture of the turtle. Just as I moved to try to get a better one, he ducked into the water.

White waterlily

Monarch

He was absolutely beautiful!

I just could not help myself, and kept taking pictures.

This Monarch did a wonderful job of sitting for me.

Kane County Reserve Part 1

Still checking.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Mallards bathing.

Lesser Yellowlegs

This mallard seemed to be hiding behind the grass.

All of a sudden she moved, and look what popped out, 2 ducklings.

White waterlily

There were several mother mallards and ducklings.

Ducklings resting by the lake.

Swamp Smartweed

Black-billed Magpie

We saw this Black-billed Magpie on a trip to Colorado, when Andy was living there 

We were up in the mountain above Boulder.

They like thickets, parks and farmyards. They were so pretty.

Birds of a feather

Dickcissel, There is a meadow and swamp area not far from our home where I caught sight of this bird.

Dickcissel

Sparrow?

Gray Catbird
This is a handsome slate gray bird with a black crown. He is a secretive bird that the Chippewa Indians names "the bird that cries with grief" due to its raspy call.It often mimics other birds.  It will only nest in thick shrubs and is more often heard than seen.

From Upper Peninsula Michigan

Some form of mushroom. It is so picturesque.

Came upon this doe resting one day while walking in the woods.  She has a fawn beside her, that does not show up in the picture.

Fawns and does in a small clearing.

Don't you just love the colors of  flowers.

Some form of sunflower.

Deer come into the yard to visit.

A beautiful sunset

Unknown flower.  Pat says it has a taproot that is very long.  The plant will die here and show up someplace else next Spring.

Still researching this plant.

Doe and her fawn.

Spotted Knapweed

Lighter pink is Spotted Joe-Pye Weed,  and the darker pink is Purple Loosestrife.  You see these along the roadsides everywhere in the later part of summer.

Unknown

Love to see the deer.

In the woods, the moss grows everywhere.

Creeping Bellflower, Rampion This is a plant that can be eaten or is an ornamental.

Creeping bellflower

Campanula  or Rampion, or Creeping Bellflower

Mallow

Mallow

Day lily

Globe Thistle

Clematis