In 2016 I’m doing a 365 Nature project. Each day of the year I will post something here about nature. It may be any format, a photo, video, audio, sketch or entry from my nature journal. It could be a written piece. Each day I will connect to nature in some way and share it here by the end of that day. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to the RSS feed or be notified by email. See all the 365 Nature posts.
Last time I checked the Winter Garden at Washington Park Arboretum, the witch hazel wasn’t yet blooming, there were only tiny flower buds. Today I went a little early to pick up my daughter from school and checked the witch hazels again and found they’re just starting to bloom. The yellow flowered witch hazel had a few branches flowers open, but the red flowered plants were still not yet blooming. Near the yellow flowered witch hazel plants are a couple of very tall Oregon Grape plants, and they too were starting to bloom. Each plant seemed to be patrolled by its own Anna’s Hummingbird. Both birds were drinking nectar from the flowers and in between feeding, sitting near branches nearby and singing.
On the hill opposite the Winter Garden I happened upon a flock of small birds and watched a pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets foraging. It’s a treat to stand still and have them forage all around me getting closer and closer.
Near where we usually park I found a coral fungi growing under some low-branched evergreen trees, one large bunch and a couple smaller ones.
It’s always amazing to me what I can find during a simple half hour walk if I just take the time to stop, look and listen.
