I’m sharing this Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly photo I took two days ago at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. This was my last subject of the morning.
Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly at Tishomingo NWR – Nikon D500, f9, 1/1250, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I had stopped to check out the Rain Crow blind on the refuge on my way out when this lovely skipper butterfly caught my eye. Raising my lens to photograph its beauty was a joy.
Though I’ve photographed this species before in Utah, this was my first photograph of this butterfly in Oklahoma. Common Checkered-Skipper butterflies are found across much of North America, ranging from central Alberta and southern Ontario in Canada to central Mexico.
My thoughts are that the wildflower the Common Checkered-Skipper is nectaring on is an Upright Prairie Cornflower, Ratibida columnifera. If it isn’t, please, feel free to correct me. I sincerely appreciate corrections.
It was delightful to find field after field of native wildflowers and grasses while driving in the refuge, along with the abundant birds and insects inhabiting those fields. The most common bird I heard calling from those fields were Dickcissels, and they are probably nesting in those fields too.
I saw other butterflies while I explored the refuge, and I hope to take images of them soon. While birds are my primary photography subjects, I simply can’t and won’t resist photographing other subjects when I find them in my viewfinder.
My excitement over photographing birds in Oklahoma and Texas is barely containable. I’ll be seeing upwards of 70+ birds I never or rarely saw in Utah.
How great is that?
I am very much looking forward to seeing, learning about, and photographing the amazing birds, wildlife, flora, and the lovely scenery here.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see my insect and spider galleries. Click here to see more of my flower, shrub and tree photos.
Beautiful butterfly. The combination of colors is really intriguing. Glad you’re spreading your wings [sorry, I couldn’t resist it] and hitting Oklahoma and Texas. Can’t wait to see your pics. Thanks Mia.
I love sporting flutterbyes
I am so excited for you. And us.
Very pretty butterfly. Glad you were traveling and enjoying the areas. When I traveled years ago, never did get to stop and see the wildlife. Then I never have had much of a camera to take nice photos of them. Thank you again.