common_nature | Journey Amidst the Sunflowers

Last year a nearby agricultural company grew a field of sunflowers and opened it to the public to walk through.

It was a perfect morning for the visit. The weeks of 90 degree temperatures dropped down to the 70s after some weekend rain and it was overcast. The field was also completely empty so we could stroll in any direction and not run into anyone.

This year they expanded on the idea and created a map of Illinois in it, with paths mirroring the interstates.

There were markers for the roads and cities they passed through as well as bordering states.

At one point we saw a bumblebee on the ground and wondered if it was dead, but it seemed to be moving and after a few moments it flew off. Maybe it was getting pollen overload from all these flowers.

Dragonflies were also about and at one point we saw a hummingbird zooming across the top of the flowers. But we were most startled to see a pheasant running across the path and disappearing in another clump of sunflowers. I spotted it first, and my partner only looked when three or four mourning doves suddenly flew up in the air.

The second time he saw the pheasant as well but it was too quick for me to get a photo of it. Interestingly, the mourning doves flew up again after it the second time too. I guess maybe they use the pheasant as a danger spotter.