PERCHING ATOP THE CATTAILS RED-TAILED HAWK This area is unlike any

This area is unlike any other in Illinois with 18 canyons and many waterfalls

A beautiful summer sunrise filled with colorful golden hues that highlight this picturesque landscape along with slender mountain mint wildflowers at Wildflower Park in Northern Illinois

I set out to photograph the sunrise

the foreground is made up of mostly dogbane plants which are in the milkweed family

I quickly composed the wildflowers of the swamp milkweed and some cup plants with the colors of the sunrise and began photographing

PERCHING ATOP THE CATTAILS RED-TAILED HAWK This area is unlike anyA male red winged blackbird takes a moment of rest atop of a cattail before continuing its display of showing its colors and calling to attract a female in this wetland landscape setting at Wildflower Park. (558 44)