2023/7/18 - DOROTHEA DIX SUNFLOWERS
DIRECTOR'S CUT EXTENDED EDITION

This is the Director's Cut Extended Edition for this album, meaning I have included many photos which don't meet my typical artistic standards because they hold special memories for me. If you are looking for a shorter and higher quality collection, visit the curated Theatrical Cut at DOROTHEA DIX SUNFLOWERS 2023 - SPIDER FREE THEATRICAL RELEASE.

At this time of year, the Dorothea Dix sunflower field is looking good, but the seeds aren't yet developed enough to attract birds. Due to that, I spent my time on a bug hunt; I found a couple of grasshoppers and some very wet july bugs. A single male goldfinch graced me with his presence, teasing me with the bird photography yet to come.

A notable presence in the back of the field by the gravel parking lot was again the male Painted Bunting who has been here since April this year, and who was presumably the same bunting who graced us with his presence and excitement last year at sunflower peak. I do find it interesting how many photographers were over there just to catch a sight of him, considering how long he's been there, so I assume they found it more convenient to double book their trip with the sunflowers.

There's so much pollen falling out of the flowers at this point, you can just see it all over the place

A sleepy June Bug (or as I like to call them this month, July Bug) rests on an unopened sunflower

This little bee is absolutely drunk with nectar. Look at that mess of pollen

A wee little grasshopper tucks in to avoid being seen by the birds

This is one of the days we had bad air quality from the Canadian wildfires

I was the only person out who valued their lungs enough to wear an N95, even though the sun was stained neon pink

I almost never get photos of july bugs when they're awake, because they turn into frantic, bumbling idiots who never sit still


This sleepy kid was absolutely bejeweled with dew. Bedeweled?

Very effective camouflage between this hopper and sunflower bud (except that I saw him)

Just one goldfinch - just one brief glimpse

Or does this count as two glimpses?

Last year there were rumours of a female Painted Bunting, although I never saw or knew anyone who saw her

This year, it seems pretty clear that our boy is on his own, looking for love in all the wrong places