Mixed Bag

The expression mixed bag usually refers to an assortment of unrelated objects. Today I am focussing on a mixed bag of natural events happening simultaneously: perennials in the garden are starting to bloom, as are wild flowers at the park and beach, and ducklings and goslings and other nestlings are continuing their cycle of life. 

In the garden the perennials are set to burst into bloom. Below the flowering stems of the succulent "Hen and Chickens"; neither a real hen or a chicken but a succulent that spreads when tiny versions of the parent plant, the chickens, spring from all around the parent looking like a mother hen attempting to shelter its chicks.

The last few Camillia blooms. This year we have had hundreds of blooms on our Camelia bushes.

The lilac is just flowering, a beautiful and fragrant addition to the garden.

The apple trees are covered in flower, hopefully leading to abundant apple crops this fall.

The wild lupins at the beach and in the park are just starting to bloom in beautiful blues, pinks and purples.

... and these insects have noticed.

The Horse chestnut trees are in flower with their wonderful, delicate blooms.

The buttercups are bursting into bloom too, beautiful buttery yellows shining in the sunshine.

When my Wisteria died back a couple of years ago, I was worried that it had died, but it has since regrown (from below the graft I believe) and is flowering robustly again this year. It provides a wonderful sweet fragrance at this time of year and then a welcome shade on our patio throughout the summer.

 In the park the Wild Roses are in bloom, so elegant, so understated, so beautiful.

At the pond in the park the Redwing blackbirds are busily looking after their nestlings; here I strayed a little too close to the nest and attracted the attention of both the male and female Red wings:

The Canada Geese float elegantly on the pond.

 This pair has five goslings to take care of and this morning all were catching a few winks when I stopped by with my camera.

Back at home this Downy Wodpecker is enjoying the suet that I have left out.

More succulents flowering.

The red Peony is always the first to bloom in my garden: the bud and then the flower.

The delicate Corn Flower bud and below the flower.

The start of the Day Lilies; as the name implies each flower lasts only a day.

The last spring and early summer are a wonderful and eventful time in the garden, and probably my favorite time of the year.


Here is a recently finished watercolour of a Great Blue Heron. I am donating this painting to the Brock House Summer Fair Art Sale.

Thank you for dropping by, and Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next week ...

Herons, herons and more herons

"The Stanley Park Heronry is one of the more awe inspiring sights in the Park in the Spring and Summer seasons. A cluster of around twenty trees has become the largest nesting site for Great Blue Herons in the region, a sight that draws many bird watchers, naturalists and visitors to the park to observe the dozens of pairs and their squawking young. The Herons will nest until their young are able to fly, leaving Stanley Park and returning the next year. The Heronry is a unique experience as these reclusive and elegant birds are never usually spotted in large groups."  Read more: Heronry http://www.venturevancouver.com/heronry-stanley-park-vancouver#ixzz1t7C4QUbg

 

The Great Blue Heron (GBH) is the largest of the North American herons.

"It has head-to-tail length of 97–137 cm (38–54 in), a wingspan of 167-201 cm (66-79 in) a height of 115–138 cm (45–54 in) and a weight of 2.1–3.3 kg (4.6–7.3 lb). Notable features include slaty flight feathers, red-brown thighs, and a paired red-brown and black stripe up the flanks; the neck is rusty-gray, with black and white streaking down the front; the head is paler, with a nearly white face, and a pair of black plumes running from just above the eye to the back of the head. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season. The bill is dull yellowish, becoming orange briefly at the start of the breeding season, and the lower legs gray, also becoming orangey at the start of the breeding season. Immature birds are duller in color, with a dull blackish-gray crown, and the flank pattern only weakly defined; they have no plumes, and the bill is dull gray-yellow." (Wikipedia)

The Pacific GBH's have been nesting on the edge of Stanley Park for several years very close to the built up part of downtown Vancouver. It is a magical sight with dozens of nests; the trees are immense deciduous trees. I will let the pictures tell their story.

The nesting site is adjacent to tennis courts, above is a view over those courts at some of the nests.

The herons are  watchful, sitting preening, mending nests and collecting sticks to repair nests.

I was very happy to have caught the above view of a young heron in a nest.

The heron nests are subject to predation by eagles and raccoons, both fond of heron eggs. The metal collars on the trees prevent or deter raccoons from climbing the nesting trees.

I have not been very successful at catching herons in flight, but here are a couple of pictures.

The Pacific GBH lives and feeds in this area year round. Apart from the mating and nesting season, they are solitary birds. Here are a selection of my heron sightings over the past year or so.

The Heron's neck and belly have beautiful feather patterns; the neck (shown in detail below) almost appeared to be braided grey, blue and burnt sienna colours.

Herons are often seen wading along shoreline of the ocean, ponds and lakes or in marshes; they stand motionless for long periods of time waiting for their prey to come in range and then strike very suddenly. They swallow their prey whole and can choke to death if the prey is too large.

I thought that they only ate fish, and that can be the primary part of their diet, but when fish are not abundant they also eat mice, frogs, lizards, snakes, flies, crabs, shrimp, crayfish and small mammals.

The blue heron has a harsh raspy croaky call, but they will shriek if they are disturbed or threatened. Follow this link for demonstration of heron calls.

I am fascinated by herons, they are magnificent birds.

This week I finished a watercolour painting of a Great Blue Heron which I named "Waiting Patiently":

The Travelling Wilburys "Handle with Care":

Thanks for stopping by, Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next week...


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