The Dismal River in Nebraska National Forest. From a distance, the late summer tallgrass prairie looks magenta from all the blooming grasses, including Big bluestem, Indian grass, Prairie cord grass, and Canada wild rye. Starting in September, the grasses set seed and will turn a reddish rust color.
Seed eating birds follow the ripening seed.
At Walnut Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, look for the yellow-bibbed Dickcissel around the third week of September. They'll be passing through on their way to Argentina for the winter. Asters blooming from white to blue, and the Prairie gentian a growing blue reprise. According to Charon Geigle at the National Grasslands Visitor Center at Buffalo Gap , the mid-grass prairie may be even more dazzling than the tallgrass. If you want to see it at its best, take a trip to the heart of Halsey in the Nebraska National Forest .