Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • As the vastness of the open Canadian prairies butt into the Rocky Mountains, vastly different habitats converge, resulting in an enormous amount of variety in both flora and fauna. Weather patterns are disrupted when open plains meet up with towering rocky towers of rock, which means more rainfall, resulting in mountain erosion giving minerals, shade and shelter that promotes the growth of thick rich forests that teem with wildlife. Such a place is seen here in Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta, Canada on a spectacular summer sunset over a marsh.
    Where the Canadian Prairies Meet the..kies
  • Moose Meadows in Alberta's Banff National Park under a wonderfully bright, sunny sky on a very chilly Canadian January morning.
    Moose Meadows and the Canadian Rockies
  • American germander, also known as Canadian germander or wood sage, is a native member of the mint family. It is found growing wild in moist or wet habitats in every American continental state and every Canadian  province except for Newfoundland, Alberta and Alaska. Pollinated by long-tongued species of the bee family, it also attracts many types of butterflies and hummingbirds. This freshly blooming germander was photographed on the Arkansas/Missouri border next to a lake in early summer.
    American Germander
  • Sofa Mountain in Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park on a beautiful summer evening photographed from across Lower Waterton Lake.
    Lower Waterton Lake and Sofa Mountain 4
  • The bunchberry is a very attractive member of the dogwood family found in all of the Northern States of the USA (plus Colorado and New Mexico) and all of Canada, Greenland, as well as many parts of Asia in thick, damp coniferous or mixed hardwood forests where openings in the canopy allow for some sunlight to filter down to the ground. Very adaptable in growing habits, it is found from the coastline a to as high up as the edge of the tundra.
    Bunchberry
  • Sofa Mountain in Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park on a beautiful summer evening photographed from across Lower Waterton Lake.
    Lower Waterton Lake and Sofa Mountain 3
  • Sofa Mountain in Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park on a beautiful summer evening photographed from across Lower Waterton Lake.
    Lower Waterton Lake and Sofa Mountain 2
  • Sofa Mountain in Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park on a beautiful summer evening photographed from across Lower Waterton Lake.
    Lower Waterton Lake and Sofa Mountain 1
  • Close-up of the detail of one of the most commonly plants found and densly packed plants found carpeting the forest floor. This one was phototgraphed on Larch Mountain, just outside of Portland, Oregon.
    Bunchberry
  • This western species of ground dogwood is a very common forest ground covering plant that can form  vast carpets of green throughout the damp forests of the Pacific Northwest. These white flowers will soon become bright-red berries which historically were an important food source for Native Americans. This was photographed in the forest near the shore of Trillium Lake on the southern side of Mount Hood's Peak in Oregon.
    Bunchberry
  • A close-up of a massive gaggle of Aleutian cackling geese in the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge between Tacoma & Olympia, Washington. Until 2004 the cackling goose was considered same species as the Canada goose, but is the size of a duck, has a very short bill, and has a much higher-pitched honk. The Aleutian cackling goose subspecies breeds in northern Alaska and Canada in the tundra near water, and travels south to California in winter. Making a comeback from near extinction, it has now been removed from the endangered species list.
    Aleutian Cackling Geese
  • Wintertime at the southern end of Washington's Puget Sound attracts thousands upon thousands of Canada geese, such as this one in the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
    Canada Goose
  • Several wedges of Moffitt's Canada Geese (a subspecies of the Canada goose found in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon) fly over the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge in Central Washington.
    Migrating Moffitt's Canada Geese
  • Found almost everywhere in North America (except Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida) this aggressive native aster has become invasive in parts of China, Japan and Europe. This perfect specimen was found near Soos Creek in Kent, Washington about 20 miles south of Seattle.
    Canada Goldenrod
  • Great clouds of mist rise like smoke over the Bow River on a bitingly cold winter morning in Alberta's Banff National Park, the first established national park in Canada, and third in the world.
    Bow River, Banff National Park #1
  • This insanely colorful sunrise creates the perfect backlight to Mount Rundle in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada on a bitterly cold winter morning. The only thing that makes this better is the whole scene reflected in the open water of a natural hot spring that keeps this part of the Vermillion Lakes from freezing.
    Mount Rundle and Vermillion Lakes
  • Great clouds of mist rise like smoke over the Bow River on a bitingly cold winter morning in Alberta's Banff National Park, the first established national park in Canada, and third in the world.
    Bow River, Banff National Park #3
  • Great clouds of mist rise like smoke over the Bow River on a bitingly cold winter morning in Alberta's Banff National Park, the first established national park in Canada, and third in the world.
    Bow River, Banff National Park #2
  • Canada's British Columbia is absolutely beautiful in wintertime. This view of the Illecillewaet River looking eastward towards the incredible rocky peaks of Rogers Pass was taken on a bitterly cold January morning, just north of Revelstoke, BC.
    Illecillewaet River and the Mountain..Pass
  • The sun's first rays of light engulf the entire peak of Cascade Mountain on an extremely chilly morning in Banff National Park in mid-January. The temperatures hovered around -24°F/-31°C. The surrounding valley and forest edges showed some wolf sign in the snow and a few elk were seen off in the distance.
    At First Light - Banff's Cascade Mou..tain
  • As far as moths go, most of the smaller ones are pretty much drab and forgettable. Not the the red-fringed emerald. With a beautiful emerald green coloration with ruby red highlights and details, This one-inch beauty caught my eye as I was it resting on some wood one afternoon in Tallahassee, Florida. This moth can be found across much of the eastern half of North America from Florida to New Brunswick in the Canadian Maritimes west to Ontario to Texas back down in the south.
    Red-fringed Emerald Moth
  • The red-shanked grasshopper is a large member of the banded-winged grasshoppers found throughout most of the western United States Mexico, and north into the Canadian Prairies. It prefers open, arid grasslands and prairies where it feeds on a number of grasses and sedges. It is easily recognized by its bold pattern and red rear feet. When threatened, it will take a long "jump" as it flies to a nearby locations with a loud buzzing noise called crepitation. As it flies, it will reveal momentarily its beautiful yellow wings. This one was stalked/chased and photographed near the El Malpais National Monument in Cibola County, New Mexico.
    Red-shanked Grasshopper-2
  • The red-shanked grasshopper is a large member of the banded-winged grasshoppers found throughout most of the western United States Mexico, and north into the Canadian Prairies. It prefers open, arid grasslands and prairies where it feeds on a number of grasses and sedges. It is easily recognized by its bold pattern and red rear feet. When threatened, it will take a long "jump" as it flies to a nearby locations with a loud buzzing noise called crepitation. As it flies, it will reveal momentarily its beautiful yellow wings. This one was stalked/chased and photographed near the El Malpais National Monument in Cibola County, New Mexico.
    Red-shanked Grasshopper-1
  • The red-shanked grasshopper is a large member of the banded-winged grasshoppers found throughout most of the western United States Mexico, and north into the Canadian Prairies. It prefers open, arid grasslands and prairies where it feeds on a number of grasses and sedges. It is easily recognized by its bold pattern and red rear feet. When threatened, it will take a long "jump" as it flies to a nearby locations with a loud buzzing noise called crepitation. As it flies, it will reveal momentarily its beautiful yellow wings. This one was stalked/chased and photographed near the El Malpais National Monument in Cibola County, New Mexico.
    Red-shanked Grasshopper-3
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-12.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-9.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-7.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-6.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-5.jpg
  • Close-up look of one of my favorite native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid. It is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-3.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-2.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-1.jpg
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. This perfectly rip one was found (and eaten) above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberry
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • If this little chipmunk looks wary, it is for good reason. It was being actively hunted by a short-tailed weasel (stoat) at the edge of Lower Waterton Lake in southern Alberta's Canadian Rocky Mountains.
    Least Chipmunk
  • The western rattlesnake plantain orchid is a very common and often overlooked beautiful orchid found across all of the western provinces and states on North America (excluding Nevada) and is found natively in all of the eastern Canadian provinces and  reaches south into both Michigan and Maine that is generally associated with conifer forests and mountains that have abundant, deep leaf litter or moss. This one was found growing among many thousands of others blooming in northern Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • The western rattlesnake plantain orchid is a very common and often overlooked beautiful orchid found across all of the western provinces and states on North America (excluding Nevada) and is found natively in all of the eastern Canadian provinces and  reaches south into both Michigan and Maine that is generally associated with conifer forests and mountains that have abundant, deep leaf litter or moss. This one was found growing among many thousands of others blooming in northern Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • Bumblebees are one of the primary pollinators of the western rattlesnake plaintain orchid, such as this one found deep in a forest in Alberta's Canadian Rocky Mountains. The flowers of this common orchid are quite nondescript for an orchid, but up close they are quite beautiful. Unlike other Goodyera orchid species that all look somewhat similar to each other, Goodyera oblongifolia's flowers all tend to face the same direction on the flowering stalk, which appears about mid to late summer, depending on the longitude, altitude and local climate.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • The skunkbush sumac is a very attractive shrub found in all of the states west of the Mississippi River excluding Minnesota, Missouri and Louisiana and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and much of Northern Mexico. When crushed, the leaves emit a strong, unpleasant odor (hence the common name) but the sticky, edible fruit have a sharp, lime-like taste. These berries were found growing in rural Socorro County, about an hour south of Albuquerque, New Mexico on a chilly spring morning.
    Skunkbush Sumac
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing on the beach near Neah Bay on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    Thimbleberries
  • The black huckleberry is considered by many to be the prize of the mountain berries. These juicy, sweet member of the blueberry family are found from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean (with a few isolated locations eastward) and have been enjoyed by wildlife and humans for millennia. This official state fruit of Idaho is a particularly important food source for grizzly and black bears, and traditionally the Native Americans have been eating them in dozens of different ways: fresh, dried, smoked, crushed up in soups or mixed with salmon roe - to name a few. These huckleberries were photographed (then eaten) just below the tree line at the edge of a subalpine meadow in the North Cascades National Park, near the Canadian border in Washington State.
    Black Huckleberry
  • This tiny Townsend's vole made the risky dash across an unpaved forest road in the deep forest of North Cascades National Park in Washington State near the Canadian border just as I happened to be passing by.
    Townsend's Vole
  • A quick stop for a rest and bite to eat on their way to their summer breeding grounds in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic, this migrating  pair of greater white-fronted geese wade in the wetlands in the Nisqually River Delta near Olympia, WA where there are plenty of aquatic plants and insects.
    Greater White-fronted Geese
  • This tough, woody shrub is common in the most arid regions of the American and Canadian West, and is a member of the rose family. Attractive in the spring when it is overloaded with small yellow flowers, it is often found with balsamroot species in sagebrush desert habitats, and is an important food source for deer. This one was photographed in Central Washington in Kittitas County near the Columbia River.
    Antelope Bitterbrush
  • A common native plant and wildflower found in deserts, prairies and other open dry habitats, the desert prince's plume is a member of the mustard family. It can be found in every western continental state excluding Oklahoma, Washington and Alaska, and does not appear to grow in any of the Canadian provinces. This was photographed in California's Mojave Desert in Joshua Tree National Park.
    Desert Prince's Plume
  • Glacier lilies are found in every western state in the continental United States except for Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada. They are also found in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. This one was photographed very literally on the Continental Divide in Wyoning's Yellowstone National Park.
    Glacier Lily
  • This beautifully annoying field and garden pest is here to stay. This member of the morning glory family is found all over North America except Alaska, the Yukon, Northwest Territories. It is found in all Canadian provinces excluding Newfoundland and Labrador, and some of the Caribbean islands. This one was photographed in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington on the Washington-Oregon border.
    Field Bindweed
  • A look at the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the northern coast of Washington along the Salish Sea, less than a mile from the Canadian border. The cold waters here are known for orcas (killer whales), several species of other whales, salmon, sea lions, seals, dungeness crabs and many more wonderful things that embody the Pacific Northwest's sealife.
    Strait of Juan de Fuca
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-11.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-10.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-8.jpg
  • My favorite of the native piperia orchids, the flat-spurred orchid is found only in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California, and also in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is also one of the easiest to identify. The white flowers are quite large, and the sepals have a green stripe through the center of them. More strikingly, the extra-long tube-like or horn-like spur is almost always horizontal to the stem. In this case, it wasn't exactly horizontal, but close enough to fit the description. The closely related elegant piperia (Piperia elegans) also has a greatly elongated spur, with similar flowers, but the spur hangs downward against the stem. This was one of several found in a deeply wooded area in rural Thurston County between Yelm, Washington and Mount Rainier.
    Piperia transversa-4.jpg
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The western rattlesnake plantain orchid is a very common and often overlooked beautiful orchid found across all of the western provinces and states on North America (excluding Nevada) and is found natively in all of the eastern Canadian provinces and  reaches south into both Michigan and Maine that is generally associated with conifer forests and mountains that have abundant, deep leaf litter or moss. This one was found growing among many thousands of others blooming in northern Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • The black huckleberry is considered by many to be the prize of the mountain berries. These juicy, sweet member of the blueberry family are found from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean (with a few isolated locations eastward) and have been enjoyed by wildlife and humans for millennia. This official state fruit of Idaho is a particularly important food source for grizzly and black bears, and traditionally the Native Americans have been eating them in dozens of different ways: fresh, dried, smoked, crushed up in soups or mixed with salmon roe - to name a few. These huckleberries were photographed (then eaten) just below the tree line at the edge of a subalpine meadow in the North Cascades National Park, near the Canadian border in Washington State.
    Black Huckleberry
  • Found throughout the Eastern United States and some of the Canadian provinces, this large attractive dragonfly was photographed in the wild and swamp-like Tate's Hell State Forest in Northern Florida on the Gulf Coast.
    Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
  • A bright red native salmonberry growing in Millersylvania State Park in Central Washington. Normally a light orange, there are a lot of regional and genetic differences between individual plants that produce a variety of colors and sugar-content across the American and Canadian Pacific Northwest.
    Salmonberry
  • The brittle prickly pear is likely the most widespread cactus in North America. It's range includes the five western Canadian provinces, all of the western American states, and continues south well into Mexico. Because it can be found close to the Arctic Circle, it is also the most northerly cactus in North America. This one was found in flower growing near the Pawnee Buttes in northeastern Colorado.
    Brittle Prickly Pear
  • This edible and harmless but mostly tasteless pretty bright red fruit with a velvety texture is the end result of a nondescript native forest lily with tiny white flowers after undergoing natural pollination. It can be found in all of the western states (excluding California) and all of the western Canadian provinces including Ontario. This one was found growing next to a small mountain stream in rural Southwestern Montana in Mineral County.
    Rough-fruited Fairybell Berry
  • A gorgeous one-eyed sphinx moth rests on a birch tree in Kent, Washington on a breezy early summer morning. Found primarily in the Rocky and Cascade Mountain Ranges as well as along most of the US-Canadian border where there is ample poplar and willow (host species) trees, these large perfectly camouflaged moths will flash their brightly-colored warning signs including "false eyes" if disturbed.
    One-Eyed Sphinx Moth-4.jpg
  • A gorgeous one-eyed sphinx moth rests on a birch tree in Kent, Washington on a breezy early summer morning. Found primarily in the Rocky and Cascade Mountain Ranges as well as along most of the US-Canadian border where there are ample poplar and willow (host species) trees, these large perfectly camouflaged moths will flash their brightly-colored warning signs including "false eyes" if disturbed.
    One-Eyed Sphinx Moth-5.jpg
  • A gorgeous one-eyed sphinx moth rests on a birch tree in Kent, Washington on a breezy early summer morning. Found primarily in the Rocky and Cascade Mountain Ranges as well as along most of the US-Canadian border where there is ample poplar and willow (host species) trees, these large perfectly camouflaged moths will flash their brightly-colored warning signs including "false eyes" if disturbed.
    One-Eyed Sphinx Moth-2.jpg
  • A gorgeous one-eyed sphinx moth rests on a birch tree in Kent, Washington on a breezy early summer morning. Found primarily in the Rocky and Cascade Mountain Ranges as well as along most of the US-Canadian border where there is ample poplar and willow (host species) trees, these large perfectly camouflaged moths will flash their brightly-colored warning signs including "false eyes" if disturbed.
    One-Eyed Sphinx Moth-1.jpg
  • A gorgeous one-eyed sphinx moth rests on a birch tree in Kent, Washington on a breezy early summer morning. Found primarily in the Rocky and Cascade Mountain Ranges as well as along most of the US-Canadian border where there are ample poplar and willow (host species) trees, these large perfectly camouflaged moths will flash their brightly-colored warning signs including "false eyes" if disturbed.
    One-Eyed Sphinx Moth-3.jpg