March might be the most capricious month of the year. She came in like a lamb, warm with a bit of sunshine. False spring we call it here because we know that there will be blasts of cold weather ahead. For now, I'm enjoying the warmth.
Yesterday was cloudy, but no rain fell. A steel grey sea and a great variety of cloud formations. Good for walking and observing.
In more sheltered areas, the sea was a beautiful green-blue. Small rocky islets would be fun to explore via kayak on a summer day. Something to keep in mind.
Prunus blossoms are just beginning to open. All those gold-tipped stamens like long eyelashes fill me with delight.
Birds are taking full advantage of the season. This Red-winged Blackbird sang his song and didn't seem to mind my camera at all.
Northern Flickers are such elegant birds with their smooth feathers and patterned neutral colours. A group of them pecked away at the ground finding all sorts of things to eat.
How lovely to see a pair of swans at the lagoon. I am curious about the difference in their beaks - are they two different species or a male and female? One looks like a Trumpeter Swan and the other a Mute Swan. They seemed very much a pair.
How dull the grasses on shore look. The end of winter can be a drab time, but soon life will emerge bright green.
At 5 am this morning I was awakened from a deep sleep by the house shaking in an earth tremor. The ten seconds of movement seemed very long. I stayed in bed but didn't manage to sleep any longer. So it's been a slower day around here.
I heard about our earthquake but didn't feel a thing. I wonder about those swans with their different coloured beaks.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I didn't know you had earth tremors over there. Being in bed is the best place when that happens. I love swans and this is a beautiful photo. It is indeed curious that they have different beaks, and could they be different species but are friends anyway? The little blackbird is so cute and pretty, and one I have never seen. The green/blue water is very beautiful and Spring-like. It all does look like 'false Spring'. Over in Ontario the snow is still very deep on the ground.
ReplyDeleteHow scary. I didn’t realise your area was prone to tremors. Beautiful photos as always. Love to see your wildlife. B x
ReplyDeleteIt looks like bright green grasses could show up any day now for you! How sweet that sight always is! Do you have the free Merlin app on your phone? You can use it to ID birds. I checked and Merlin confirms they are a Trumpeter Swan and Mute Swan.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if you had felt the latest quake. It must be a scary experience. I am so glad all was well.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, that must have been frightening! It doesnt happen in our little corner of the South West. It is such a joy to see the beginnings of Spring, in flowers and birds.
ReplyDeleteYour spring is clearly ahead of ours. We're getting rain today too -- makes me nervous before the ground has fully thawed enough to absorb it. That tremor would freak me out a little! Glad all is OK -- ten seconds must have seemed like an hour!
ReplyDeleteMarch may have come in like a lamb, but there is nothing lamb-like about an earthquake! Whew! I hope the remainder of March is gentler and filled with lovely buds and blossoms and green things. Oh . . . and beautiful birds!
ReplyDeleteThe tremor sounds unsettling no wonder you couldn't go back to sleep. I'm enjoying your photos of the birds where you live, the Northern Flicker looks a lovely bird and I like the red winged blackbird:)
ReplyDeleteI read about the earthquake and was wondering who felt it. Always a surprise when the earth shakes! Happy March to you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs, especially the prunus..an earthquake? That certainly would have woken me!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely glimpse into early March!
ReplyDeleteThat earth tremor must have been quite a shock!
Your photos are beautiful as always.
All so lovely, thanks for sharing dear Lorrie. I love flickers too and my pair visit the suet feeders often.
ReplyDeleteGosh an earth tremor is frightening - we spent yesterday under a tornado 'watch', but it did become a scary 'warning' at one point so we headed to the safety (?) of the lower floor bathroom for a while!!!!!
Love x
Your photographs are lovely ... the earth tremor definitely not!
ReplyDeleteTake care.
All the best Jan
Oh dear, I hope the earthquake is an exception.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are very beautiful... the first flowers are already out on the trees, hopefully they will come late here because there will definitely be more frost. Today we had a wonderful 18 degrees with sunshine... we had coffee outside.
Best wishes to you.
I'm waiting for the first storks here. It will be a joy when they arrive.
Viola
I’d say that earth tremor was a rude wake-up, Lorrie. However, your nature shots always warm my heart. I did see a red winged blackbird in my yard one time. It’s always exciting to see ones that normally don’t visit. Happy weekend to you!
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