Sunday, May 16, 2010

May: "At This Time"


May arrives and with the warm sun come the birds. A small flock of Common Yellowthroats arrive looking for marshy habits.


New warblers arrive to challenge my lens. This Yellow Warbler has more beauty than I can capture. The songs of Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned, Wilson's, and Townsend's Warblers are added to the forest breeze.


The Common Bushtits have a downy nest sack among the leaves of the Indian Plum. Mallards and Canada Geese have already fledged young.


May is the time for new leaves to open flawless green in the sun.
 


I am reminded that it is the fertilization of spring flowers that brings the seeds of late summer and fall. I see the green newly hatched green mice hiding in the Douglas-fir cones. They will mature and brown in the summer sun.


In the forest Calypso the sea nymph, presents her exotic bloom,


while the Chocolate lily nods along the meadows edge.



Under the Garry Oak a few Common Salsify accompany the Camas blooms.



Near a bog, a colourful slime mold erupts in berry clusters.


At Government House wild roses are in full bloom.






The Mule Deer in the city are fully unafraid of humans. Their large ears turn to focus their interest.





Two males wander the meadow, their antlers in soft velvet.





A young Northern Flicker forages in the Garry Oak meadow along with crows, starlings and blackbirds.






At the feeder a female Rufus Hummingbird shows her rufus sides.




May is unfolding leaves and blossoms. Early blooms swell with green fertilized seeds which mature and brown in the sun. The dawn and evening chorus swells with the fluting songs of the Swainson's and Hermit Thrush. The forests edge plays the songs of warblers.












This post is a work in progress. I will be adding more photos during the month. Be sure to check my other month's posts.