Saturday, March 26, 2016

Spring Wildflowers and Orchids


We managed to get out to look for wildflowers and orchids last week and found both.  We visited a number of favorite places on Fidalgo Island and found the spring wildflowers well along and the first of the native orchids beginning to bloom.

Deception Pass

we spent most of our time on Pass Island under the bridge



the Douglas Firs were producing both their male and female cones
while some of the older cones still hung on






the Pacific Madrones were in full flower


we were surprised at the number of wildflowers already in bloom
Prairie Stars, Gold Stars, Beach Strawberries, Common Camas, Naked Broomrape,
  Northern Bedstraw, Oregon Sunshine, and a few Grass Widows still hanging on










  we also hiked the Bowman Beach trails and found wildflowers there also,
though not so many

Giant Kelp


driftwood



Oyster shell


Pixie Cup Lichens


more Douglas Fir male cones


Pacific Madrone bark and leaves




lichens


Flowering Red Currant


 Red Huckleberry


Blue-eyed Mary


last of all we went to Washington Park near Anacortes
and found more wildflowers, including
Early Saxifrage, Fawn Lilies and Sea Blush








and Columbia Black-tailed Deer, eating everything in sight




at several other locations we found the first Fairy Slippers of the year,
including one white flower





4 comments:

Thelma said...

A large variety of pretty spring wild flowers. It is nice that you can identify them. The lichen is pretty also. We still have snow here. I'm looking forward to seeing my flowers. I started photographing some wild flowers in my area last yr. and hope to continue this yr.

Ron said...

Thanks, Thel. Hope you find a lot of wildflowers to photograph. We enjoy them more even than garden flowers.

Upupaepops said...

didnt see the last looked in the usual places. I was up 2 weeks ago and found gold star but no Grass Widows

Ron said...

We found only one Grass Widow, which probably means we were too late. They were blooming in Eastern Washington when we were there a week ago and they're always later there.