Spring Saturday

WINDY today! But very pleasant temperatures and lots of blue sky. The creek is running high and fast, and it will go higher before it starts to go back down. As a stood on the bridge a tree floated downstream... looking perhaps like it had only recently been taken down by the strong currants.

And speaking of currants, the Golden Current bushes are blooming profusely, meaning that before too long there could be a good supply of sweet, juicy berries - if the birds, deer and bears don't beat me to them. The Hawthorns are getting ready to set out their sweet-smelling flowers, and the Serviceberry trees are in full bloom. Balsam Root is sprouting up and will soon be turning every hillside bright yellow with its beautify sunflower-like blossoms. The Blue Flax is beginning to appear as well, and I expect to see the petite purple flowers withing the next week or two.

Not much in the way of birds this morning. A few Magpies, Chickadees and Flickers; a single Lewis' Woodpecker; a few Tree Swallows; a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds in a courtship display; and a pair of Western Bluebirds who kept toying with my attempts for a photo or two.

The Cottonwood bottom along the creek is almost completely isolated, surrounded by rising water that has trickled in from the slough at the east end of the meadow, and backed up all the way to the bridge. The water is the highest I've seen it in nine years, but then again we did have a pretty heavy snowfall this past winter, so I shouldn't be too surprised. My "hidden beach" is completely submerged, and on the opposite bank, a pair of Canada geese are resting with their eight fuzzy goslings.

On my way back I stopped to get some photos of the bison pastured nearby. One cow wallowed in a dust bath, sending a flurry of tiny dust particles into the gusty wind. There was a bumper crop of calves this year - they are everywhere, bucking and racing each other across the pasture.

I also detoured for a hike up Blue Mountain to look for spring wildflowers. Here the Balsamroot is still only just producing leaves and has not begun to bloom yet, while the Pasque Flowers are almost past their bloom and are nearly spent. In both the short grass prairie and the open pine forest are Larkspur, Biscuit Root, Death Camas, Yellow Bells, Bluebells, Kitten Tails, Shooting Stars, Long-stemmed Avens, and a few I have yet to identify. Most are at the beginning of their bloom and I expect that by this time next week the meadow will be full of flowers.

Rain and thunderstorms in the forecast for early next week. :(