[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Western Prairie page.]

It was a good year for Western Prairie.  Lots of flowers; the prairies are getting more mature.  Even the northern section is starting to get more grasses.  And I saw a few new plants flower.  The oldest (southern) section was 8 years old, the middle was 7 and the northern section was 6.  We didn’t do any maintenance at all – no mowing, no burning.  We had lots of nesting Henslow’s Sparrows and Clay-colored Sparrows.

1/9/2013

2/8/2013

3/7/2013

4/8/2013

7/25/2013

8/4/2013  We still have Queen Anne’s Lace, but it doesn’t seem to reduce the number of native flowers.

8/4/2013

9/1/2013  This was the first time I’d seen Dotted Blazing Star blooming in this prairie.  We have lots of it around the house, in very sandy soil.  I had planted seeds of it here, not knowing if it would like the heavier soil, but here it is.

9/1/2013

10/2/2013  Dragon Wormwood – another plant of dry sandy prairies.  Also the first time I’d seen it here.

11/1/2013  A panoramic view that Mike took with his phone.  (Click to see a larger version)