Dutchman’s-breeches is one of my favourite wildflowers and the woods here are a good place to spot this early blooming plant. The plant (Dicentre cucullaria) has several common names due to it’s oddly shaped white flowers such as Soldier’s Cap. Little Blue Staggers is another because it has the ability to produce drunken stagger in cows who graze on it. As a poppy-related species it contains some narcotic substances.
Some other early spring botany here:
Today’s group on this 8 degree overcast morning:
Some park scenes:
We had the good fortune of hearing and eventually seeing a Brown Thrasher on a hydro line:
Species list: double-crested cormorant, Canada goose, turkey vulture, ring-billed gull, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, blue jay, American crow, common raven, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, brown thrasher, American robin, ruby-crowned kinglet, red-winged blackbird, brown-headed cowbird, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, field sparrow, song sparrow. (20 species)
A coyote was also nearby:
Just before turning onto Twyn Rivers Drive I noticed a couple of objects on the big church roof near there and pulled into the parking lot to have a look. Turkey Vultures:
NATURE POETRY
Shine out, fair Sun, with all your heat,
Show all your thousand-coloured light!
Black Winter freezes to his seat;
The grey wolf howls, he does so bite;
Crookt Age on three knees creeps the street;
The boneless fish close quaking lies
And eats for cold his aching feet;
The stars in icicles arise:
Shine out, and make this winter night
Our beauty's Spring, our Prince of Light!
George Chapman (!539 - 1634)
Miles Hearn