No blooms here yet in the PNW islands. I’ve been sighing over flowers and bright colors from other parts of the country lately, so I sought out what we have in the way of color up here right now, mid-February. Here’s a little snapshot of what I’m seeing that’s colorful. Some are seasonal, while others are always around but show up more against the winter grays and dull greens of our maritime Northwest, like the madrona tree above.
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.
...and in my backyard:
Lichens are colorful all year around.
Is anything budding right now? Besides the tiny American Hazel inflorescence I posted a photo of in yesterday’s bucket, the only color among the native flowering plants is in the leaf buds. Here are a few
The reddish shades in the buds above are pigmented colors. Iridescence is structural color, only appearing when light shines on it at a particular angle. Many birds’ plumage is iridescent, like the ducks a few photos up. Here’s another feather close up. The whole thing can look colorful but held at this angle, only the upper edge at the moment.
Sometimes color appears when you search for it. Sometimes you just get lucky...
Here’s that male Anna’s hummingbird I saw on our snowy day last week. Note that his iridescence shows up even on a day with the sun hidden behind dense clouds.
Today it’s cooler than the last couple of days, overcast and breezy.
Did not hear the Chorus frogs last night as I did the night before. They are also on the cusp between winter and spring.
Time for you to share what you’re seeing in your natural neighborhood . . .
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