PERCHING ATOP THE CATTAILS RED-TAILED HAWK the foreground is made up

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

The forecast this July summer morning was to be sunny with some cloud cover

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 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 the foreground is made upA 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)