Deschutes River

We headed out to the Deschutes River State Park to do some exploring.  This time of year, it's a landscape of green hills and fragrant sagebrush.  As we walked down the trail, we kept encountering some huge black beetles that would do headstands as we approached.  We learned that because of this habit, they are called "clown beetles".  Sometimes they are called "stink bugs" because they are getting ready to shoot a nasty smelling chemical from their posteriors in case of a threat! But I think that's too confusing since it's what people call the brown marmorated stink bug, which is not a beetle but a true bug. We also encountered three shy white-tailed deer, a majestic flock of turkey vultures, an oriole nest, and lots of gorgeous wild flowers. 

Phlox.

Toad flax.

Small-flowered prairie star.

Barestem desert parsley.

Bugloss fiddleneck.

Bicolored cluster lily.

Clown beetle.

Turkey vulture.

Lupine.

Clown beetle.

Balsamroot.

Redstem storksbill.

Jasper is always looking for interesting bugs, and he found this glamorous ant.

Field mustard.

Hoary cress.

Henbit.

Bullock's oriole nest.