When I made this year’s first trip to Phoenix Park last week I was hoping to see a lot of wildflowers after all the rain storms we’ve had. I was a little surprised that the various pools didn’t seem to be overflowing, although I know that only the earliest flowers are blooming right now. All in all, it was a good outing, which included my usual side trek through the Lake Natoma Heights neighborhood over to the bluffs that overlook Mississippi Bar. I didn’t walk very far in that direction but I did see a lot of Pipevine Swallowtails — and one special surprise that made my trip totally worthwhile.

Invasive purple Filaree (center) with Spoke Pod

Common Owl’s Clover

Hawkbit

Filaree or stork’s bill has a pretty flower but dries into a coiled spear

Filaree’s needle-like fruit

Miner’s Lettuce — edible and loaded with Vitamin C

A Pipevine Swallowtail explores the purple vetch

Capturing this gorgeous Sulfur butterfly made my day

A ground squirrel (left) takes a look at around before disappearing into the tall grass