I went exploring through photo folders in search of something to post on this rainy (yes, rain! 😀) afternoon and started looking at images from my visit to the Chatfield Audubon Center last May. This one caught my eye because, well, blooms and bees!
I was fairly confident that photo showed a honey bee feasting on Wild Plum blossoms. And I knew for sure the bird on the left was a Common Grackle.
But then I looked some more and came across the photo below and had no idea what I was seeing. The image is poor quality, but I figured there were enough identifying features to make an identification. Sure enough, this is a type of whiptail lizard, specifically, a Six-lined Racerunner (the third photo is the best match). Woot woot!
That research victory got me looking more closely at other photos in the folder and I came across one which proved more difficult to identify. How would you describe this plant? I tried double leaves, spade-shaped leaves, double blooms, and then just searched “colorado wildflower yellow” and there it was: Leafy Spurge.
People keep telling me about cool apps they have on their phones for identifying flora and fauna, but I never remember them in the moment. How about you? Do you use apps? If so, what’s your recommendation?
Tracy Abell 
I don’t know what the plant is and I don’t have any cool apps, but I really enjoyed your photos ❤️
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Thank you so much, Bridgette, for stopping by. In case you’re interested, a friend on Twitter said she’s used Seek, PlantNet, and iNaturalist apps.
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I use Cornell’s Merlin app to identify birds, and love it. It has identified a couple of birds that I didn’t even know where around *by sound alone*. Now every time I hear a song I don’t recognize I whip out my cell phone and record a sample. It is able to screen out road noise, and identify the songs.
The Washington Post just suggested two plant id apps: Pl@antNet, and iNaturalist. I know nothing about the first, but have heard good things about the second, which is put out by National Geographic and the California Academy of Sciences. I’m excited to see what they have to say!
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Thank you for this, Amy. Another friend recommended PlantNet and iNaturalist. She said she’s also used See. I do use Merlin but need to get better about having the app ready to go when I’m hiking.
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